Hong Kong Olympic stalwart Pang Chung calls it quits
Long-serving official doesn't want people to feel that governing body is all 'old men'
Pang Chung, one of the most influential figures in local sport, will step down as Hong Kong Olympic Committee honorary secretary general next month after serving the organisation in various roles for decades.
At their annual meeting on March 2, Pang will officially announce his decision, despite having one year remaining in his current term.
2015 is quite a quiet year in terms of sport, as there will be no major games for Hong Kong and therefore my decision will not create any enormous problems
Pang, 77, and president Timothy Fok Tsun-ting, 69, were elected to their positions in 1998, following the end of the era of former sports supremo A. de O Sales post-handover.
"I don't want people to have the perception the Olympic Committee is fully occupied by old men, and it's an appropriate time to quit," said Pang, a former Hong Kong high jump and triple jump record holder and representative at the Asian Games during the 1960s.
"2015 is quite a quiet year in terms of sport, as there will be no major games for Hong Kong and therefore my decision will not create any enormous problems."
Pang said he had planned the decision for some time. He will stay on as an adviser to ensure a smooth transition.