Hong Kong men get development boost, offered spot in Chinese Handball Super League
Professional competition involves likes of National Games champions Jiangsu, but city’s amateurs will need funding, get time off work
Hong Kong handball will take a big step forward in its development next month, when the men’s team join China’s professional league.
The city’s squad of part-timers proved they could compete with some of the country’s best with a fourth-placed finish at the National Games last November.
While the Chinese Handball Super League’s season has already started, with the first stage presently taking place in Rongchang, Hong Kong could compete at legs in Foshan in March, Jinjiang in April and at home, with a date and venue yet to be decided.
The Chinese Handball Association, which runs the six-team league, called the decision to include Hong Kong alongside the likes of Games top three Jiangsu, Anhui and Beijing “milestone-making and historically unprecedented”.
Although the 500,000 yuan (US$72,065) entry fee has been waived, Hong Kong officials need to work out how they will pay for travel and encourage players, who juggle training and playing around full-time jobs and have only recently returned from the Asian Men’s Handball Championship, to take part.
Despite attracting sponsorship, last month’s two-week tournament in Kuwait cost team members HK$8,000 each, and all had to take holiday to be able to represent the city.