Government to closely monitor funding to the Football Association, warns against any ‘significant short falls’
- A time-limited funding support with an interim review for association’s new five-year strategy plan will also be put in place according to Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung
- HKFA is on the look out for a new chief executive to help run the organisation and meet its demands
The government will impose closer monitoring of funding support to the Hong Kong Football Association while observing stricter governance of the national body who accepted recommendations by the Audit Commission and Public Accounts Committee of the Legislative Council.
Chief secretary for administration Matthew Cheung Kin-chung told the Council on Wednesday they would take “proactive action” to follow up on the recommendations, including implementing time-limited funding for three football seasons from 2020 to 2023 as part of the HKFA’s new five-year strategic plan.
Performance targets and indicators will be set up in the funding agreement between the government’s Home Affairs Bureau and the Football Association, and “as a sanction against significant shortfalls from the performance targets and indicators, the Bureau may cut back on the amount of funding earmarked for the Football Association and/or shortening the cycle of funding support”, according to Cheung.
In addition, a mid-term review will be conducted by the end of 2022 before committing to provide further funding to the Football Association for the remaining two football seasons under the five-year plan.
HKFA slammed by Legislative Council for its ‘poor governance’
The government has earmarked HK$18 million to provide the Football Association the required administrative and technical capabilities to carry out its operations in each of the next three seasons.
In addition, the association has sought HK$12.75 million to support specific football development initiatives under the five-year plan mainly for the development of young players and for the continuous capacity building in football professionals. However, the final amount will be subjected to the association submitting more details of its programme. including justifications, implementation plans, performance targets and indicators to the government.
Hong Kong Football Association chairman Pui Kwan-kay said they would also follow the recommendations and hoped the arrival of its new chief executive would help the association achieve its goals.
“We have already advertised the senior management post and are confident with an appropriate candidate, we can move forward,” he said. “There is always room for improvement and there will be a lot of hard work ahead to develop our sport our organisation.”
Hong Kong FA criticised for making ‘little progress’ since 2011
The chief executive, according to the advertisement, will have to develop, review, update and implement strategies aimed at continually promoting and improving the game of football in Hong Kong at all levels from grassroots to the professional level including youth football, women’s football and mini football/futsal.
The top job has been left vacant following the departure of Paul Woodland in June when the Public Accounts Committee began criticising the football governing body following the Audit Commission’s report.
Pui said they had received a number of interested applicants but details could not be provided at this stage as the application closes next week.
