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Coronavirus: Hong Kong risks losing more global sporting events to quarantine-free cities if tough Covid rules remain, experts say
Hong Kong risks losing more international sporting events if it clings to tough quarantine rules for arrivals as other Asian countries open up, an industry leader and a lawmaker have said.
The warning on Monday, which puts further pressure on the government to open up amid the Covid-19 pandemic, came two days after the International Dragon Boat Federation decided to move the World Dragon Boat Racing Championships to Thailand from Hong Kong, set for next August.
Arnold Chung Chi-lok, chairman of the Hong Kong China Dragon Boat Association, said it was the city’s strict hotel quarantine arrangement that prompted the shift.
“If there was a clear timetable on loosening Hong Kong’s quarantine measures, we still stood a chance. But we could not provide the government’s road map when members of the federation cast their votes,” Chung told a radio programme.
“Most importantly, other countries have confirmed that they are able to host the event. The federation does not need to worry.”
Hong Kong requires inbound travellers to undergo three days of hotel quarantine and four more under home medical surveillance, with their movement around the city limited.
Health minister Lo Chung-mau on Saturday said the city was “actively considering” lifting the requirement, but stopped short of offering a concrete timetable.
The sports sector was the latest to join the chorus demanding that the city open up, with rival hubs such as Singapore already welcoming quarantine-free travel.
“If the epidemic measures remain unchanged, we will be questioned when we try to apply to host large-scale events in future. I believe we will fall behind other places and we may not be able to host events set for the coming two years,” Chung said.
He added that the Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races, organised by the Tourism Board every summer, could still draw participants back if the city’s quarantine measures were relaxed in December.
He said the association would fight to resume its hosting status at the world championship in 2027.
Lawmaker Vincent Cheng Wing-shun, chairman of the Legislative Council’s panel on home affairs, also highlighted the trend of international competitions passing on Hong Kong as a sporting venue.
“One of the reasons is the city’s pandemic restrictions. We need to think of how we can improve,” Cheng told the same radio programme. “Many Asian regions are competing to host competitions, such as Thailand and Singapore, which want to revive their economies.”
With only two major sports events held last year, Cheng said he hoped the city leader’s policy address on October 19 could include some support measures to maintain competitiveness.
Commissioner for Sport Yeung Tak-keung said it was a “pity” that the federation was moving the championship to Thailand based on local Covid-19 restrictions.
Yeung said he believed that international sports events would still be held in the city in the future, pointing to the Hong Kong Masters and the Hong Kong Sevens in the next two months.
“These competitions involve international players, who have higher standards for the games. [The participants] do not mind staying in the hotel under the closed-loop arrangement as they focus on training and the competition,” Yeung said.
For events similar to the World Dragon Boat Racing Championships, Yeung said they involved several thousand participants who might also hope to take part in sightseeing activities. The current anti-epidemic policies would not be able to fulfil such expectations, he conceded.
Yeung also revealed that the Hong Kong Association of Athletics Affiliates, which announced on Friday it would cancel the Hong Kong Marathon slated for November, had earlier checked with the administration on the option of postponing the event to next February, and had inquired on the availability of Victoria Park in Causeway Bay as the race’s finishing point.
He said the authorities would be able to help the association if it decided to postpone the race, adding the government only granted approval for last year’s marathon two months before the run was held in October.
The marathon organiser said last Friday that it decided to call off the race as the government did not grant approval in time, affecting preparation for runners and stakeholders.
- SCMP
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