Controversial weightlifting boss Josephine Ip, who implied Hong Kong, Taiwan are countries, quits ‘with immediate effect’
- Ip had been under pressure after implying Hong Kong, Taiwan were countries during opening remarks at event in the city
- Government says her speech was ‘absolutely unacceptable’ and a ‘suspected violation of the one-China principle’
Controversial weightlifting boss Dr Josephine Ip Wing-yuk, who had twice referred to Hong Kong as a country, has quit as president of the governing body in the city.
In a statement released on Friday, the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China (SF&OC), said Ip had resigned “with immediate effect” as chairwoman of the Hong Kong, China Weightlifting and Powerlifting Association (HKWPA).
The association, meanwhile, said Ip, who was criticised by government officials for her misstep, had left her post for “personal reasons” and would be replaced by vice-chairman Yu Sum-por.
A spokesman for the SF&OC said it noted Ip’s resignation and “respected the decision”. The committee added it would “continue to work hand in hand with all National Sports Associations to jointly promote the development of various sports”.
The HKWPA earlier published a statement of its own, confirming Ip’s decision to leave the organisation.
“Ip Wing Yuk resigned as the chairperson of the Hong Kong, China Weightlifting and Powerlifting Association Limited on May 23, 2024 due to personal reasons,” the statement on its website read. “The work of chairperson will be taken up by first vice-chairman, Yu Sum-por.”
Association president Pok Kim-won said his organisation “would not be commenting any further”, while Ip did not respond to calls from the Post.
Ip and the association have been the subject of continued controversy over the past few years, and this month she implied Hong Kong and Taiwan were countries during opening remarks at the Asian Equipped Powerlifting Championship and the Asian University Cup.
According to the HKWPA, Ip’s initial speech at Queen Elizabeth Stadium had included the line: “This time, we have lifters and officials from 16 countries/regions including China, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong China, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Philippines, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Thailand.”
Ip reportedly noticed that number was incorrect because several countries had withdrawn, and also believed the sentence to be too long, so shortened it too: “This time, we have lifters and officials from 13 countries.”
The Hong Kong government said Ip’s speech was “absolutely unacceptable” and gave rise to a “suspected violation of the one-China principle”, adding that local sports officials would investigate.
The association later expressed its “deepest regret” over the incident, but it was not the first time the chairwoman raised the ire of the Hong Kong government.
In March, she called the city a “relatively small country” during her opening speech at the Hong Kong Weightlifting Invitational. She later said that had been a “slip of the tongue”.
The association is no stranger to controversy either. In December 2022, at the Asian Classic Powerlifting Championship in Dubai, the protest song Glory to Hong Kong was played instead of the national anthem, March of the Volunteers, when Susanna Lin won gold.
Officials later blamed the event’s organisers for the error.
Lawmaker Adrian Pedro Ho King-hong of the New People’s Party, an ardent critic of the HKWPA, called Ip’s resignation “a good start” but suggested it did not mean the governing body would change.
“I will continue to work with the SAR government as well as the athletes and the HKWPA to try to work out the athlete’s issues from the past and try to help them improve their governance in the future,” he said.
Ho had previously been vocal on issues surrounding the association, which he called a “living hell” for athletes who had accused it of withholding government funds meant for individuals and demanding they pay more than HK$1 million in coaching fees.
The association denied withholding funding, adding the powerlifters in question, Masahito Kitsui and Raymond Fong Chai-chi, had “volunteered” to pay coaching staff.
