Hong Kong Sevens defied Sars, now it must survive the most tumultuous of times
- Iconic event is the pride of Hong Kong – to let it become a victim of the violent protests would be the biggest blow for sport
- Government must bend over backwards to help rugby union put on a show for the world to see
Every day you wake up hoping a light bulb has gone off somewhere in Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor’s head – and she makes a little concession here and offers a little olive branch there. Instead, we get more protest violence and destruction, police beatings and a Hong Kong fast becoming Asia’s Worst City, rather than the self-proclaimed World City.
With every fiery and violent image, with every story of people’s rights being eroded and with every billion lost to the economy, the world turns its back further on our city. The clash between authoritarian rule and democracy has manifested itself in many ways and everyone is paying the price.
Even horse races were cancelled, the all-powerful Hong Kong Jockey Club having to bow to escalating threats and violence. Ringing in our ears were the famous words of late paramount leader Deng Xiaoping who said life would continue as normal after China’s resumption of sovereignty over Hong Kong. He singled out racing, saying: “Horses will still run.”
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It’s an event the government will no doubt be trumpeting when and if some peace is found – that Hong Kong is open for business and is still a world city and the “events capital of Asia”, another inflated moniker government officials bestowed upon the city.
Lam’s administration will no doubt throw billions of dollars around to try to get Hong Kong on her feet again. It’s the only thing the government knows how to do, like “bribing” residents with cash handouts to splurge on the economy and fix the problem. And hope you become pro-government all of a sudden.
The Sevens, like it did when it defied the deadly Sars epidemic in 2003, can give us some escape and respite from the madness. For a weekend the anger and frustration we feel towards lame-duck Lam and her advisers, and the police she has thrown under the bus, can be forgotten.
The Hong Kong Rugby Union has the resources and the will to make sure the Sevens happens. Its life depends on it because the Sevens funds its mega machine of rugby programmes, teams and personnel.
Safety is obviously the biggest concern but sports events are not targets of radical protesters. Logistics therefore become the primary concern.
The Sevens happens in a little world in So Kon Po and the stadium is a secure venue with a smaller footprint than the marathon, for example. It is more likely any clashes with police will come from drunken fans. Protesters should also take heed the Sevens crowd would not take kindly to any disturbance of the event or threat to it happening.
And who will present the Cup to the winning team? High ranking government officials normally seize the moment for a photo op but since they are so despised there could be security issues.
The HKRU took extraordinary steps to communicate and implement risk prevention in 2003 when Sars devastated Hong Kong. More than 33,000 fans still showed up and the real test of the Hong Kong Sevens’ popularity and demand for tickets will come when tourists numbers are counted in April.
They will be down, but the bold and the brave will snap up cheap flights and hotel deals. For once, there are likely to be more tickets available to the public.
If the government fails to find some common ground with the democratic majority in the next three months and the Sevens becomes collateral damage, then please turn off the lights when you leave.
