2020 Hong Kong Formula E-Prix cancelled over protests fears: Rugby Sevens ‘fully committed to continuing’
- Founding father Lawrence Yu says he is ‘extremely sad’ that the E-Prix race is cancelled but understands the reasons why
- Hong Kong Rugby Union has already started selling stadium corporate packages for the April 3-5 tournament
The 2020 Hong Kong Formula E-Prix has been cancelled amid continuing street protests in the city, with organisers reluctantly omitting the race from the finalised 2019-20 season calendar.
A press release from the organisers on Friday listed 14 races on the 2019-20 season – and no Hong Kong. The race was scheduled for March 1 at the Central Harbourfront, with Hong Kong being part of the circuit since 2016-17. The city has staged three events, the last being on March 10, 2019.
Lawrence Yu Kam-kee, governor of the Hong Kong Automobile Association, played a key role in helping Hong Kong become part of the inaugural circuit in 2016 when he was chairman of the body.
He said Formula E and the Hong Kong government were keen to see the event continue but the social unrest plaguing Hong Kong over the past five months has forced organisers to cancel the 2020 race, though they are confident it will return in 2021.
“I am extremely sad,” said Yu. “Both FE and the Hong Kong government are willing to see the event continue but the recent social unrest put a big question mark on the possibility of starting the event in March.
“The event is a global one which catches the attention of international media. They would need to spend a lot of money to set up the venue. If something were to happen on the day of the event because of social unrest, and they cannot start, it will be a big loss.”
He said FE and the government are looking at a 2021 return, adding that the Hong Kong leg of the global circuit has been held successfully in the past and organisers were happy with the city’s contribution to the Formula E series.
The finalised calendar, released on Friday, has Sanya, China as the sixth event – a slot previously taken up by Hong Kong.
Although Formula E chiefs have decided to scrap their event five months in advance, organisers of the city’s most famous sporting event, the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens, say their event will go ahead from April 3-5, 2020.
When asked if the Sevens was under threat, Hong Kong Rugby Union Chief Executive Robbie McRobbie said: “We are fully committed to continuing.”
The union has already begun selling stadium corporate packages for the tournament, which has been played uninterrupted annually since 1976.
Unlike many sporting events in Hong Kong, the Sevens is a week-long party that includes street festivals in protest hotspots such as Central and Causeway Bay, with thousands of fans from all over the world usually moving on to nightclub areas in Wan Chai and Lan Kwai Fong after the day’s play.
Anti-government protests in Hong Kong have caused the cancellation or postponement of a number of sporting events.
The Prudential Hong Kong Open tennis tournament, which regularly features top names such as Naomi Osaka and Venus Williams, has fallen victim to the protests, along with the Hong Kong football team’s home match against Malaysia scheduled for October 15.
On Friday, the Hong Kong Football Association announced that all weekend domestic matches from all divisions would be postponed.
Also cancelled is the Clearwater Bay Open golf tournament, supposed to take place from October 17-20 at the Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club as well as the Hong Kong Cyclothon and Hammer Series cycling races scheduled for October 13.
The inaugural Hong Kong World Women’s Snooker Masters, from October 9-13 at the General Snooker Club in Lai Chi Kok, is going ahead as planned while the World Coastal Rowing Championship taking place on Victoria Harbour from November 1-3 also remains on the calendar.
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