Hong Kong Sevens could be ‘catalyst’ for return of other sporting events to city, says rugby boss McRobbie
- Hong Kong Rugby Union boss says governing body’s approach can pave the way for others to host their own major competitions
- Officials from snooker, badminton and golf are all working on holding events over the next six months
The return of the Hong Kong Sevens could pave the way for a host of other sporting events to take place later this year, rugby boss Robbie McRobbie said, after getting government approval to stage the landmark tournament.
On Saturday, the government gave the go ahead for the Sevens to take place for the first time since 2019, although there will be some restrictions depending on the Covid-19 situation in the city in November.
A closed loop for players and local workers is expected to be in effect, but the time spent in quarantine for residents could be reduced from seven to four days soon.
Officials from the city’s snooker, badminton, triathlon and golf organisations have all been waiting in the wings to see whether the Sevens would go ahead, with all four working on holding competitions over the next six months.
Earlier this week, badminton bosses said they were planning a partial closed loop for players and staff members as part of their proposals to host a World Tour event in November.
And snooker bosses have suggested something similar for an invitational tournament they want to hold a month earlier, with the Hong Kong Masters already part of the World Tour calendar.
Triathlon, meanwhile, has an Asia Cup stop pencilled in for October 15. In golf, the Asian Tour has plans to bring its International Series to Hong Kong in January, while Oxfam and Standard Chartered are preparing for the Trailwalker and marathon respectively.
