https://www.scmp.com/rss/327916/feed The 2018 Asian Games, officially known as the 18th Asian Games and also Jakarta Palembang 2018, is a pan-Asian, multi-sport event to be held from 18 August to 2 September 2018 in the Indonesian cities of Jakarta and Palembang. For the first time, the Asian Games are being co-hosted in two cities. Hong Kong sent 586 athletes to the event, their biggest squad yet for a major games en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Hongkonger Tania Mohan happily admits that she’s addicted to bridge, the card game that pits two pairs against each other. She got hooked “in a good way” about 20 years ago and has fond childhood memories of her mother sitting at a table playing the game. But never in her wildest dreams did Mohan think that one day she’d be giving lessons. “These are strange times we live in,” she laughs. This month Mohan launched Tania’s Bridge Table, an online introductory course where she shares the basics of... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3168186/hong-kong-bridge-addict-launches-online-course?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3168186/hong-kong-bridge-addict-launches-online-course?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Feb 2022 09:15:14 +0000 Fresh off the viral success of the Balloon World Cup Finals, the nascent sport is coming to Hong Kong this month. The Hong Kong Balloon League was officially launched this week with an opening ceremony at the Pulse Mall in Repulse Bay on Tuesday, ahead of tournaments. Its aim is to “continue the Olympic boom and promote the participation of all people in sports,” organisers said. The Hong Kong Balloon League will be co-organised by the Newly Emerged Sports Association of Hong Kong China (NESA)... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3155665/hong-kong-balloon-league-brings-viral-sport-sensation-city?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3155665/hong-kong-balloon-league-brings-viral-sport-sensation-city?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Nov 2021 07:37:53 +0000 “Asia’s Fastest Man” Su Bingtian burst into the wider public consciousness during the semi-finals of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games this summer. That was when the 32-year-old ran the 100m in an Asian record 9.83 seconds to break his own record as the fastest man from the continent. It secured him a place in history as the first Chinese runner to compete in the men’s Olympic 100m final, the showpiece event of the Summer Games. Su also entered the race as the fastest qualifier among the field with... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3151539/who-su-bingtian-china-sprint-star-asias-fastest-man?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3151539/who-su-bingtian-china-sprint-star-asias-fastest-man?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 Oct 2021 23:00:20 +0000 Yuka Saso made history on Sunday night when she beat Japan’s Nasa Hataoka in a play-off to win the women’s US Open, coming from behind to take the chance from third-round leader Lexi Thompson. Saso, just 19, became the joint youngest winner of the event with South Korea’s Inbee Park – both of them won the US Women’s Open at 19, years, 11 months and 17 days. The teenager entered the tournament in San Francisco’s Olympic Club as the No 40 on the Rolex Rankings and not officially a member of the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3136323/who-yuka-saso-philippine-japanese-teen-us-open-champion-cusp-olympic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3136323/who-yuka-saso-philippine-japanese-teen-us-open-champion-cusp-olympic?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Jun 2021 06:18:36 +0000 Filipino-American Jordan Clarkson has made history as the first Asian-American player to win the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award and the first to win any of the NBA’s six annual awards. The Utah Jazz player was given the award on Monday after a career best season, beating teammate Joe Ingles and Derrick Rose of the New York Knicks. Clarkson becomes the first Jazz player to win the prestigious award, which is eligible to players who have made more appearances from the bench than they started... https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3134846/utah-jazzs-jordan-clarkson-first-asian-american-win-nba-sixth-man?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3134846/utah-jazzs-jordan-clarkson-first-asian-american-win-nba-sixth-man?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 May 2021 02:54:52 +0000 Yaffa Lam Pui-kwan fulfilled one of her sporting dreams in 2018 when she represented Hong Kong at the Asian Games in Indonesia. However, the dream quickly became a nightmare as the side were easily swatted aside by their opponents at the GBK Softball Field in Jakarta. It was the first time Hong Kong had qualified for the Asian Games softball competition and the 33-year-old veteran said she is determined to make amends. “In 2018, it was my dream come true to be able to take part in the Asian... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3133618/asian-games-2022-yaffa-lam-eager-help-hong-kong-softball-team-make?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3133618/asian-games-2022-yaffa-lam-eager-help-hong-kong-softball-team-make?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 May 2021 02:00:19 +0000 Promising Hong Kong rower Winnie Hung Wing-yan will make her Olympic debut in Tokyo this summer after booking a late ticket following the Asia and Oceania Olympic qualification regatta held in Japan last week. Racing in the open category, the 22-year-old came seventh overall in the women’s single sculls at the Sea Forest Olympic venue in Tokyo and managed to grab a berth in her event. The qualifiers brought together 50 crews from 18 countries in the region, racing in four events with a total 16... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3133353/tokyo-2020-hong-kong-rower-winnie-hung-snatches-olympic-ticket?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3133353/tokyo-2020-hong-kong-rower-winnie-hung-snatches-olympic-ticket?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 May 2021 09:42:35 +0000 Fu Yuanhui, the Chinese swimmer who became one of the darlings of the 2016 Rio Olympics after her surprised reaction to winning the 100-metre bronze medal went viral online, was disqualified during the 100m backstroke semi-final of the Olympic swimming trials on Sunday. China’s Olympic swimming trials act as its primary Olympic qualifier, where its team for the Tokyo Games is set to be finalised, are being held in Qingdao until May 8. Fu, who won gold in the 100m backstroke at the 2014 Asian... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3131947/tokyo-2020-viral-sensation-fu-yuanhui-disqualified-chinese-olympic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3131947/tokyo-2020-viral-sensation-fu-yuanhui-disqualified-chinese-olympic?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 May 2021 06:13:52 +0000 Squash mixed doubles will be introduced to the Asian Games for the first time in Hangzhou, China next year, a senior official said. David Mui Ying-yuen, president of the Asian Squash Federation, said the additional medal, to go with singles and team events, would not mean more players in each team, nor would it add more playing days to the competition. Asian Games: there’s more gold out there, say Hong Kong’s squash finalists after Leo Au beats Max Lee in men’s final “We have been pushing for... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3129687/asian-games-2022-squash-mixed-doubles-make-its-debut-hangzhou-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3129687/asian-games-2022-squash-mixed-doubles-make-its-debut-hangzhou-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Apr 2021 00:00:12 +0000 The anti-doping regime in sport is demanding. Athletes must cooperate with random testing during and outside competition. There are few if any excuses for banned substances in the blood or urine or for refusing or aborting tests. The consequences are punitive suspensions from competition that can be career-ending and financially devastating. The reputational taint is lasting. In the case of China’s swimming superstar and Olympic champion Sun Yang, an eight-year ban by the Court of Arbitration... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3115716/test-fair-play-sporting-arena?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3115716/test-fair-play-sporting-arena?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Dec 2020 13:30:15 +0000 Hong Kong must learn from Doha in how the Qatari capital has built itself up from a sporting backwater to become a global centre for major events. Doha was this week chosen to host the 2030 Asian Games – the second time it will stage the continental showpiece, having hosted them in 2006 after beating Hong Kong during the bidding process. “When Doha beat Hong Kong for the 2006 Asian Games hosting rights, many people kept asking me where the city was,” said Timothy Fok Tsun-ting, president of the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3114391/hong-kong-must-learn-doha-if-it-wants-be-global-centre-sports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3114391/hong-kong-must-learn-doha-if-it-wants-be-global-centre-sports?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Dec 2020 23:55:52 +0000 Esports will become an official medal event in the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China in 2022, marking a first for the multi-sports tournament and a major step forward for competitive gaming. The move was confirmed by the Hangzhou organising committee on its Weibo account on Wednesday. Esports was first included as a demonstration sport at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia. Six titles were featured: Arena of Valor, Hearthstone, League of Legends, StarCraft II, Clash Royale and Pro Evolution... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3114298/esports-debuts-official-medal-event-hangzhou-2022-asian-games?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3114298/esports-debuts-official-medal-event-hangzhou-2022-asian-games?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Dec 2020 05:58:37 +0000 Heavyweight sports official Pui Kwan-kay will step down as one of the vice presidents of the Olympic Committee when the Hong Kong sports governing body holds its general election on Thursday. Vying for the senior post will be two newcomers – Philip Mok of tennis and David Mong Tak-yeung of athletics – who will contend for four vice-president vacancies along with three incumbents, Kenneth Fok Kai-kong, Herman Hu Shao-ming and Tony Yue Kwok-leung. Kenneth is the eldest son of Timothy Fok... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3114055/pui-kwan-kay-step-down-olympic-committee-vice-president-after?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3114055/pui-kwan-kay-step-down-olympic-committee-vice-president-after?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Dec 2020 10:16:55 +0000 Nicole Pearson was thinking about retiring after completing her fifth Asian Games in 2018. She finished 17th in the individual eventing in Palembang, Indonesia and helped Hong Kong to fifth in the team competition. Having made her debut at the 1986 Seoul Asian Games as a 19 year old, Pearson could look back proudly at her Hong Kong career, capped by a team bronze at the 2014 Games in Incheon. She also missed a team medal at the 2010 Guangzhou event by 0.4 of a point. In addition, Pearson played... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3111957/2022-asian-games-hong-kong-veteran-nicole-pearson-eyes-sixth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3111957/2022-asian-games-hong-kong-veteran-nicole-pearson-eyes-sixth?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Nov 2020 12:00:14 +0000 Disgraced swimmer Sun Yang lost the 2019 best athlete provincial title for Zhejiang to teammate Xu Jiayu, despite capturing more gold medals at the world championships in Gwangju, South Korea. Sun, who claimed golds in the men’s 200m and 400m freestyle, was deemed inferior to Xu, the 100m backstroke world champion, with mainland media saying the decision was made because of “obvious reasons”. In September 2018, the 28-year-old Sun was subjected to an out-of-competition doping test at his home in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3108737/sun-yang-snubbed-obvious-reasons-says-mainland-media-after-losing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3108737/sun-yang-snubbed-obvious-reasons-says-mainland-media-after-losing?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Nov 2020 06:40:49 +0000 Three-time Asian Games silver medallist Lee Ka-man announced her retirement on Monday after a stellar career spanning two decades. The 34-year-old Lee, who represented Hong Kong at the 2008 Beijing and 2016 Rio Olympic Games, has been battling a recurring injury during her final push for qualification for the 2020 Tokyo Games, which have been postponed until next summer. She was Hong Kong’s longest-serving and most successful rower, having represented the city since the age of 14. “I have... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3106099/hong-kong-rowing-star-lee-ka-man-succumbs-injury-ending-stellar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3106099/hong-kong-rowing-star-lee-ka-man-succumbs-injury-ending-stellar?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Oct 2020 07:15:26 +0000 Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey impressed in day two of the first match of the International Swimming League in Budapest on Saturday setting another Asian record. The 22-year-old built on Friday’s success at the Duna Arena, where she set an Asian record with her 100m split in the freestyle relay, with a win and another Asian record in the 200m free. This was also her third Hong Kong national record of the match. Haughey finished in 1:51.67, ahead of the 2012 London Olympic champion Allison Schmitt,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3105979/isl-hong-kongs-siobhan-haughey-sets-another-asian-record-budapest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3105979/isl-hong-kongs-siobhan-haughey-sets-another-asian-record-budapest?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Oct 2020 02:12:55 +0000 Hong Kong’s star swimmer Siobhan Haughey made a record breaking start to the second season of the International Swimming League in Budapest on Friday, with an Asian record and two national records. Haughey made her debut for champions Energy Standard, swimming in the 400m freestyle and leading off the 100 freestyle relay in a meet that also featured the Cali Condors, New York Breakers and Los Angeles Current. The 22-year-old finished second in the individual event, missing out on a win in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3105924/isl-hong-kongs-siobhan-haughey-helps-energy-standard-season-opening?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3105924/isl-hong-kongs-siobhan-haughey-helps-energy-standard-season-opening?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2020 02:01:25 +0000 The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) spent more than US$600,000 on their successful appeal against Chinese swimmer Sun Yang and swimming governing body Fina, their annual report has revealed. “A number of high-profile anti-doping cases also required additional resources. Wada’s successful appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport [CAS] in the case of swimmer Sun Yang was a particularly significant one with more than USD600,000 invested,” the report read. Wada took Sun and Fina to the CAS over... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3105017/sun-yang-cas-appeal-cost-wada-over-us600000-report?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3105017/sun-yang-cas-appeal-cost-wada-over-us600000-report?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Oct 2020 03:46:40 +0000 Beijing 2008 was not the first time the eyes of the sporting world were on China. Some 18 years before the country’s coming out party at its first Olympics, it came of age with the 1990 Asian Games in the capital. This was the first major international sporting event held in China since Deng Xiaopeng’s introduction of Reform & Opening Up in 1979. “Peking may bid,” ran a South China Morning Post headline on October 2, 1982. “China is actively considering hosting the 1990 Asian Games,” the story... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3104489/china-hosting-1990-asian-games-lit-way-beijing-2008-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3104489/china-hosting-1990-asian-games-lit-way-beijing-2008-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Oct 2020 04:42:45 +0000 China’s controversial National Swimming Championships have ended with a new world record for the mixed 4x100m medley relay. The Qingdao event, which concluded on Friday, made headlines for swimmers missing out on finals despite qualifying in the pool, because of pre-competition physical tests. There was no such controversy on the final day when a team of Xu Jiayu, Zhang Yufei, Yan Zibei and Yang Junxuan smashed the previous record time. The quartet completed their medley in 3 minutes, 38.41... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3104043/mixed-4x100m-medley-relay-world-record-ends-controversial-china-swim?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3104043/mixed-4x100m-medley-relay-world-record-ends-controversial-china-swim?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Oct 2020 07:34:58 +0000 Former Hong Kong beach volleyball player Yeung Pok-man, who was jailed for nine weeks on Tuesday for assaulting a police officer during the social unrest last year, has launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise HK$500,000 for his ailing parents. The 29-year-old, who will not serve his sentence immediately after being released pending an appeal, made the financial request on social media. He was a physical education teacher in a primary school before the incident but was fired in July after he... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3100892/hong-kong-protests-convicted-asian-games-representative-launches?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3100892/hong-kong-protests-convicted-asian-games-representative-launches?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Sep 2020 10:59:13 +0000 Veteran Hong Kong rugby player Salom Yiu Kam-shing delivered one of the defining images for the sport’s programme two years ago to the day. After the men’s sevens team upset perennial powerhouses Japan in the gold medal match at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Yiu fell to his knees, overcome with emotion. “I still remember the moment the whistle blew. I was so excited I shed a lot of tears. I had such an overwhelming appreciation that I had waited for that gold medal for nine years, and I’d... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3099568/hong-kongs-asian-games-golden-boys-reminisce-about-sevens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3099568/hong-kongs-asian-games-golden-boys-reminisce-about-sevens?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Sep 2020 02:00:08 +0000 Hong Kong national team triathlete Bailee Brown made the rather impulsive decision to give up her Canadian passport two years ago for the city she calls home. Now, the 20-year-old finds herself leading an electrifying generation of local women in the sport. “To make the change in my final year in high school to stay in Hong Kong was pretty big. I was planning to move to Canada for university because that was the normal track at school – either US or Canada, some go to the UK as well. I would... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3096526/hong-kong-womens-triathlete-bailee-brown-giving-her-canadian?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3096526/hong-kong-womens-triathlete-bailee-brown-giving-her-canadian?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Aug 2020 01:00:17 +0000 Veteran fencer Cheung Siu-lun has extended his career by another year because of the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics but he still believes he can still be a force despite his advancing age. Cheung, who turned 34 last week, was meant to have competed in Tokyo next month and then say his goodbyes to the sport. But the coronavirus pandemic has changed his plans with his decision to postpone his retirement for another year something he thought was the proper thing to do to bring an end to his... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3094228/year-older-hong-kong-fencer-cheung-siu-lun-not-going-miss-tokyo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3094228/year-older-hong-kong-fencer-cheung-siu-lun-not-going-miss-tokyo?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Jul 2020 08:03:51 +0000 The Hong Kong Olympic Committee has promised to be more transparent in its selection of athletes for major games after being accused by the Legislative Council’s Public Accounts Committee of applying double standards when choosing squad members. At a public hearing following up on the Audit’s Report No 74 released in April, committee members slammed the Olympic Committee on their selection of swimmers for the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games. Committee member Lam Cheuk-ting was flabbergasted one of the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3089267/olympic-committee-promises-more-transparency-after-unfair-selection?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3089267/olympic-committee-promises-more-transparency-after-unfair-selection?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Jun 2020 08:38:28 +0000 Salom Yiu Kam-shing is used to blazing through his opponents’ defences as a key member of Hong Kong’s rugby sevens team, but now he’s blazing a different trail as an entrepreneur trying to help the city battle the pandemic. Jakarta Asian Games gold medallist Yiu has gone beyond his call of duty as he tries to do his bit to help his fellow athletes keep safe from Covid-19. He hopes Hong Kong will catch on to his new disinfectant products in a city still reeling from the coronavirus even though... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3086828/rugby-hero-salom-yiu-battles-covid-19-his-new-disinfectant-business?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3086828/rugby-hero-salom-yiu-battles-covid-19-his-new-disinfectant-business?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 May 2020 10:43:19 +0000 China’s star swimmer Sun Yang is losing support as he awaits his appeal with the Swiss Federal Tribunal, with his global supporters group disbanding and social media users unfollowing the Olympic champion. The Sun Yang Global Support Association announced its intention to dissolve in a post on Weibo, written by a user named “Novak_ark”. “For some time there has been a lot of criticism on the internet for Sun Yang fans, we sincerely accept that. To all those who have been forced to pay attention... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3084758/sun-yang-fan-group-disbands-supporters-ditch-swimmer-chinese-social?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3084758/sun-yang-fan-group-disbands-supporters-ditch-swimmer-chinese-social?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2020 07:14:45 +0000 Chinese social media users have responded to the claims of Australian swimmer Mack Horton’s family that they were systematically terrorised by Sun Yang fans after the two Olympians feuded from the Rio 2016 Summer Games. In an extensive interview with The Australian, headlined “Horton torment after poking the dragon”, Horton’s parents Andrew and Cheryl revealed that the family home was broken into, broken glass was placed on the bottom of their pool and dog excrement was hurled over the garden... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3081630/chinese-swim-fans-respond-mack-horton-familys-claims-abuse?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3081630/chinese-swim-fans-respond-mack-horton-familys-claims-abuse?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Apr 2020 13:02:40 +0000 Controversial Middle East neighbours Saudi Arabia and Qatar will battle it out for the right to host the 2030 Asian Games, the Olympic Council of Asia announced on Thursday evening. The council said it received two bids to host its showpiece quadrennial event in 10 years’ time with Hangzhou, China and Nagoya, Japan set to host in 2022 and 2026 respectively. Doha, capital of Qatar, and Riyadh, capital of Saudi Arabia, submitted official bids to host the 21st Asian Games before the OCA’s April 22... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3081281/saudi-arabia-and-qatar-face-bid-host-2030-asian-games?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3081281/saudi-arabia-and-qatar-face-bid-host-2030-asian-games?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2020 10:59:51 +0000 The Chinese Swimming Association has issued a statement to reaffirm that Sun Yang is suspended after reports in Chinese media appeared to confirm he was still training with the national team for the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. China’s superstar swimmer was banned from the pool for eight years by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in February. “Sun is still under suspension after the CAS decision, even if he is in the process of appealing,” the CSA’s statement on Thursday said. “Therefore... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3081184/tokyo-2020-banned-sun-yang-training-china-team-delayed-olympic-games?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3081184/tokyo-2020-banned-sun-yang-training-china-team-delayed-olympic-games?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2020 04:24:34 +0000 Sun Yang’s Court of Abritration for Sport hearing last November was the subject of debate on the video channel of The Beijing News on Sunday. The newspaper interviewed Chinese sports lawyer Cai Guo, sports reporter Wang Qinbo and Jeffrey Benz, a US sports lawyer who regularly works as an arbitrator at CAS, for the “Case Observation” show. Cai argued that triple Olympic champion Sun should have pleaded guilty and faced a possible two-year ban, instead of the eight-year ban he was given, while... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3079625/sun-yangs-cas-performance-ranked-one-out-10-us-sports-lawyer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3079625/sun-yangs-cas-performance-ranked-one-out-10-us-sports-lawyer?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2020 07:25:58 +0000 Hong Kong women’s squash number one Annie Au Wing-chi announced her retirement after a glittering professional career of over a decade. The world number 11 revealed the surprising decision on the Professional Squash Association’s official website, saying it is time to move on since turning professional in 2004. “I’ve enjoyed playing on the tour for the last 10 years as a full-time athlete,” said the 31-year-old, who played her last match in Chicago three weeks ago. “To retire from squash is a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3075761/hong-kong-squash-star-annie-au-retires-31-after-glittering-career?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3075761/hong-kong-squash-star-annie-au-retires-31-after-glittering-career?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2020 07:34:37 +0000 Singaporean jiu-jitsu prodigy Constance Lien has become a national treasure ever since being crowned world champion at the World International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) Championships in 2019, but the former national swimmer’s transition into combat sports was no easy feat. Born into a family of athletes – her mother was a national team swimmer and her sister is a current one – the 20-year-old purple belt recalled the mental and physical tolls experienced as a teen. Aside from the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3074882/singaporean-jiu-jitsu-world-champion-constance-lien-fighting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3074882/singaporean-jiu-jitsu-world-champion-constance-lien-fighting?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2020 06:00:14 +0000 The long-time coach of Chinese swim star Sun Yang has washed his hands of the swimmer and retired from the sport, Australian media reported on Sunday. “I have terminated my contract with (the) Chinese Swimming Association,” Denis Cotterell told The Sunday Telegraph. The veteran distance coach also said that he did not support Sun’s impending appeal against his eight-year ban from the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Cotterell had coached Sun off and on since 2007, training the then 15-year-old... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3074212/sun-yang-coach-denis-cotterell-drops-swimmer-after-cas-ban-over-doping?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3074212/sun-yang-coach-denis-cotterell-drops-swimmer-after-cas-ban-over-doping?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2020 05:25:15 +0000 There’s nothing quite like the wrath of China’s social media trolls. Descending on an account like an angry hive of bees, they pepper victims with relentless attacks in broken English, rife with Chinese flags, exclamation marks and all caps. Just ask Australian basketball star Andrew Bogut, one of the most notable on an ever-growing list. Bogut, who famously tweeted “Swimmers who medal vs Sun Yang should break the podiums with hammers”, got blindsided in a textbook case of online... https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3073893/sun-yang-backlash-have-chinas-online-50-cent-gang-trolls-turned-former-king?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3073893/sun-yang-backlash-have-chinas-online-50-cent-gang-trolls-turned-former-king?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2020 06:49:05 +0000 The tide appears to have turned on triple Olympic champion Sun Yang as social media users have begun to apologise to his great rival, Mack Horton, after the widespread publication of the Court of Arbitration for Sport report. Horton, who has been feuding with Sun since 2014 over the China star’s drugs ban, has long been the target of Chinese swim fans as they defended their hero. However, that has changed since the publication of the 78-page CAS report of its findings from the World Anti-Doping... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3073855/sun-yang-backlash-chinese-fans-turn-their-hero-and-apologise-hated?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3073855/sun-yang-backlash-chinese-fans-turn-their-hero-and-apologise-hated?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2020 02:47:41 +0000 United States Anti-Doping Agency chief executive Travis Tygart has added his name to the growing chorus of people who feel disgraced Chinese swimmer Sun Yang, who was banned for eight years by the Court of Arbitration for Sport for a doping violation in 2018, should have his medals stripped. The most prominent event in which multiple people, including international swimmers, are calling for him to be stripped of, is Sun’s two gold medals (200m freestyle and the 400m freestyle) at the 2019... https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3064971/sun-yang-scandal-who-gets-disgraced-chinese-swimmers-medals-if-he-stripped?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3064971/sun-yang-scandal-who-gets-disgraced-chinese-swimmers-medals-if-he-stripped?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2020 00:00:14 +0000 Chinese superstar Sun Yang was banned for eight years by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) last week and while we all know how the swimmer ended up facing the end of his career, the question for many is what happens next? The 28-year-old, who was among the medal favourites for the Olympic Games in Tokyo this summer, has the right to appeal and he has said that he will take that course, immediately telling China’s state news agency Xinhua that on the announcement of the verdict. “I have... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3064934/sun-yang-cas-doping-ban-what-happens-next-chinas-star-swimmers-appeal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3064934/sun-yang-cas-doping-ban-what-happens-next-chinas-star-swimmers-appeal?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2020 03:49:00 +0000 “I am the king,” Sun Yang said at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. He was referring to his position in the 1,500m freestyle and his rivalry with Australian swimmer Mack Horton, but he could have been talking in general. Much like the other “Sun King”, Louis XIV of France, China’s superstar swimmer has surrounded himself with a court of flatterers and sycophants. That is why Sun, 28, only talks to state-run media Xinhua and CCTV, plus two or three Chinese print journalists, as he knows the coverage... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3064595/sun-yangs-cas-doping-ban-ends-career-defined-tears-taunts-and-tantrums?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3064595/sun-yangs-cas-doping-ban-ends-career-defined-tears-taunts-and-tantrums?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2020 01:00:18 +0000 Swimmer Sun Yang is China’s most highly recognised sports superstar since American NBA basketball player Yao Ming and women’s grand slam tennis champion Li Na. The triple Olympic champion is also one of the most popular with compatriots. His army of social media fans is testament to that. Sadly what also sets him apart is international out-of-competition controversy that casts a cloud over his achievements in the pool and his standing abroad. It has climaxed with the Court of Arbitration in... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3064670/sun-yang-must-learn-image-matters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3064670/sun-yang-must-learn-image-matters?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2020 14:01:34 +0000 They say a picture can be worth a thousand words. In this case, the image tells not only a story, but paints a larger metanarrative of where sport is at in 2020: that professional athletes are actively cheating, staining the very nature of competition. Widespread, infecting various leagues, tainting past wins, and calling victories into question until the gold medal winner heads off to the washroom and pees into a cup. In the case of Mack Horton and Sun Yang, a photo from last year says it all.... https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3053063/sun-yang-scandal-mack-horton-stands-tall-golden-age-professional-cheats-sport?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3053063/sun-yang-scandal-mack-horton-stands-tall-golden-age-professional-cheats-sport?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2020 03:35:04 +0000 Chinese swimming star Sun Yang has said he will “definitely” appeal his eight-year ban from the pool that was announced on Friday. “This is unfair. I firmly believe in my innocence,” the 28-year-old told China’s state news agency Xinhua. “I will definitely appeal to let more people know the truth.” It was reported that Sun learned of the verdict while training in Beijing and left immediately, midway through the session. He had been training for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games while he awaited the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3052941/sun-yang-will-definitely-appeal-eight-year-cas-ban-social-media-rages?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3052941/sun-yang-will-definitely-appeal-eight-year-cas-ban-social-media-rages?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Feb 2020 12:01:43 +0000 Hong Kong were not in action on the first day of the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Berlin on Wednesday, but the city’s cyclists are expected to be involved until the finish on March 1. Sarah Lee Wai-sze leads the 11-strong team and several of those riders are hoping to book their Tokyo 2020 tickets with the Olympic challenger, who also defends the keirin and sprint titles in the German capital. This is the last chance for all of the 400 riders in Berlin, including Hong Kong’s six... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3052508/how-watch-sarah-lee-and-hong-kong-team-uci-track-cycling-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3052508/how-watch-sarah-lee-and-hong-kong-team-uci-track-cycling-world?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Feb 2020 00:30:08 +0000 Swimming governing body Fina supported Chinese swimmer Sun Yang in a bid to throw out his Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) hearing, according to Associated Press. The report released on Tuesday night, said Sun’s lawyers had filed a Fina-backed appeal with a Swiss federal court over a possibly conflict of interest with Wada lawyer Richard Young. The lawyer had worked on Fina’s legal commission until resigning in February 2019. Had a conflict of interest been ruled then Wada would have faced a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3052473/wada-vs-sun-yang-and-fina-cas-doping-verdict-expected-within-days?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3052473/wada-vs-sun-yang-and-fina-cas-doping-verdict-expected-within-days?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Feb 2020 08:37:39 +0000 Caitriona Jennings started her winnings ways early. You could say it was almost par for the course growing up in Donegal in northwestern Ireland. As the youngest of three girls, Jennings came of age in a household with two older sisters who were already blazing a trail in triathlons. Jennings followed suit, bringing up the rear, but most definitely not in last. She was the national junior cycling champion in 1994 and ’95, as well as the national junior triathlon champion in ’96 and ’97. She also... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3048745/inside-mind-olympian-irelands-caitriona-jennings-reveals-how-her?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3048745/inside-mind-olympian-irelands-caitriona-jennings-reveals-how-her?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Feb 2020 06:31:39 +0000 As the 2020 Tokyo Olympics countdown continues, Hong Kong’s top athletes are starting to make their moves. Elsewhere, others continue to impress in their individual sports, from running to snooker. There was also progress from some of Hong Kong’s teams in another 12 months packed with achievement. Here’s a list of local sports figures who continued to make waves in a year where sport often took a backseat. Track cyclist Sarah Lee Wai-sze No one can dispute Lee had an outstanding year. In March,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3043866/tokyo-2020-hopes-sarah-lee-siobhan-haughey-and-oscar-coggins-led?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3043866/tokyo-2020-hopes-sarah-lee-siobhan-haughey-and-oscar-coggins-led?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Dec 2019 04:00:18 +0000 A summit of leading Olympic and sport federation officials has called for “the toughest sanctions” in connection with the manipulation of Russian doping data. The recommendation of the two-day 8th Olympic summit comes two days before the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) decides whether Russia should be banned again from international competition. The summit in Lausanne, Switzerland, held at the invitation of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), was given a presentation by outgoing WADA... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3041112/olympic-summit-urges-toughest-sanctions-against?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3041112/olympic-summit-urges-toughest-sanctions-against?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Dec 2019 17:00:40 +0000 The Southeast Asian Games get underway from November 30 in the Philippines and the competition is set to be more intense than ever. The region’s countries had a historic breakthrough at the Rio Olympics in 2016 with Vietnamese shooter Hoang Xuan Vinh and Singaporean swimmer Joseph Schooling winning first ever golds for their respective nations. In Brazil, Southeast Asian athletes were among the best in the world at weightlifting, badminton, shooting, cycling, taekwondo, swimming and diving. Some... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3039230/sea-games-2019-who-you-should-be-looking-out-philippines-upcoming?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3039230/sea-games-2019-who-you-should-be-looking-out-philippines-upcoming?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Nov 2019 00:00:11 +0000 Anyone who thought that the biggest mystery in sport this year would be Colleen Rooney’s reveal that “it was … Rebekah Vardy” was sorely mistaken. Chinese state media agency Xinhua has blown that out water with its anonymous interview with the tester in Sun Yang’s controversial doping case. It was … a construction worker. That’s the big reveal and one that backs up everything Sun has claimed about an unqualified testing team and unprofessional behaviour from a fanboying doping team member at the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3038382/sun-yangs-cas-doping-hearing-blighted-translation-farce-and-inflamed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3038382/sun-yangs-cas-doping-hearing-blighted-translation-farce-and-inflamed?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Nov 2019 06:36:48 +0000