2021 World Beach Games bid unlikely with no government green light
- Estimated HK$100 million budget required from government but Olympic chief Timothy Fok has not heard anything yet
- Inaugural Games featuring 13 sports to kick off in Doha on Friday after San Diego pulls out because of lack of funding
Lack of government support makes a Hong Kong bid to host the 2021 World Beach Games unlikely, although Olympic chief Timothy Fok Tsun-ting is not giving up hope.
The inaugural multi-sport beach tournament is due to kick off on Friday in Doha, Qatar, relocated from San Diego after the Californian coastal city pulled out in May because of financial difficulties.
“As far as we understand, both the world body and many other countries want Hong Kong to be hosts but we need government backing to put in a bid,” Fok said before his departure for Doha, where he is the games committee chairman under the Association of National Olympic Committee (Anoc). “We understand the government needs to go through certain procedures before they can approve a budget for the Games but so far we have yet to hear anything.
“I will try to gather information from other member committees when I attend the Anoc congress and see if any other countries are also interested in the 2021 bid. We will then decide what to do next.”
If there is little interest from other countries, Hong Kong may still get a chance to bid before any other formal bid is put forward.
The six-day Games in Doha feature 13 sports attended by 97 national Olympic committees. An estimated budget of HK$100 million would be required if it was held in Hong Kong in a similar format.