Hong Kong sports bodies face collapse if they don’t meet standards, bosses welcome guidance

Hong Kong’s sports organizations risk going under if they are financially penalized for failing to comply with the new rules, but a number of association chiefs have welcomed a governance code issued by the city’s Sports Federation and Olympic Committee (SF&OC) this week.

After a nearly three-year review, the SF&OC has directed Hong Kong’s 77 National Sports Associations (NSAs) to comply with 243 guidelines across six categories by the end of 2026.

“We are using public funds, so we have to be responsible,” said Tony Yue Kwok-leung, chairman of the Hong Kong-China Table Tennis Association. “We should always be looking for best management practices.”

The NSA has been warned that failure to cope with the demands could result in them being cut off from government funding, a doomsday scenario for many who rely heavily on government money. A total of 77 authorities have already fully or partially implemented 58.10 percent of the measures.

Duncan Chiu, chairman of the Hong Kong Squash Association (China), agreed that recipients of government money should have “restrictions and rules”.