Presentation To
LegCo Panel on Home Affairs on
Monday 12 October 1998

Future Development Policy, Strategies and Programmes in Hong Kong

I. THE BOARD

The Hong Kong Sports Development Board (SDB), integrated with the Hong Kong Sports Institute (SI) in April 1994, is the statutory body charged with the responsibility to promote and develop sports and physical recreation in Hong Kong.

II THE MISSION

To promote the development of sports and physical recreation in Hong Kong to the benefit of Hong Kong community, in conjunction and cooperation with and building upon the work of all the major stakeholders.

III POLICY

The Board adopts the policy to encourage the people of Hong Kong to participate in sports from recreation to excellence, through the process of a coherent "sports continuum".

IV STRATEGIES

1. Participation in Sports

To create and develop more sporting opportunities for the masses, then build on these foundations in a structured way with a view to achieve further success in the international arena, whilst at the same time, aim to develop the local sports culture and to make sports a meaningful part of the lives of all Hong Kong people.

Implementation

  1. Organise a territory wide school programme called the Telecom GO!SPORT Programme (please refer to Annex A for details) in conjunction with the Education Department and the Hong Kong Schools Sports Federation, aiming to introduce to youngsters in their early age.

  2. Organise a Community Sports Club Project in partnership with 16 National Sports Associations (NSAs), aiming to keep the active players in sports and to raise the local standard of play (please refer to Annex B for details).

  3. Organise a Family and Sports Campaign supported by the Social Welfare Department, the Education Department, the Hong Kong Council of Social Service and the Provisional Urban Council, aiming to encourage youth participation in sports and to foster the sports culture in the society (please refer to Annex C for details).

  4. Introduce a comprehensive Youth Sports Policy for promotion of youth sports.

  5. Provide staffing support for 52 NSAs (please refer to Annex D for details) to organise programmes from grassroot to elite initiated by NSAs and the two Municipal Councils.

2. Development of Sports

Three major objectives:

  • nurture/attract more people to participate in sports

  • create/provide more facilities for organised training and competitions

  • develop/invite more partners to deliver sports.

Implementation

  1. Provide professional training to NSAs' volunteer official and staff for development of their respective sports.

  2. Maintain partnership with existing sports stakeholders and develop new relationships with sectors of youth, health and social services for promotion of sports.

  3. Enhance accountability and effectiveness of services delivered by NSAs by encouraging the NSAs to follow the Code of Practice (please refer to Annex E for details) introduced by the Board.

  4. Organise and subvent the Coach Education Programme (please refer to Annex F for details) in partnership with the Amateur Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China (ASF&OC).

  5. Initiate public education, including career and education in sports, support as well as organise local international sports conferences.

  6. Conduct fact-finding sports researches.

  7. Manage the Sports Information Centres at the Sports Institute and the Sports House for dissemination of sports information to the public as well as sports sector.

  8. Work together with NSAs to urge the Government for the provision of dedicated sports facilities.

  9. Communicate closely with key officials of NSAs by attending their regular committee meetings to achieve a better understanding of their sports.

3. Elite Training Programme

To enhance international sporting success for Hong Kong, 12 sports have been selected as Focus Sports to receive full support from the Board. The Sports Institute has a unique role in this area.

Implementation

  1. Based on the selection criteria (please refer to Annex G for details), Track & Field, Badminton, Cycling, Fencing, Gymnastics, Rowing, Squash, Swimming, Table-tennis, Triathlon, Windsurfing and Wushu have been identified as the Focus Sports which receive full financial and coaching support from the Board (please refer to Annex H for details).

  2. Two Disabled Sports Associations which have a good record in elite achievements also receive elite training support from the Board.

  3. Individual selected elite athletes of Non-Focus Sports also receive elite training support from the Board to maximize their chances of international sporting success.

  4. A comprehensive elite athletes support system which includes sports science, sports medicine, and strength & conditioning is implemented through the Sports Scholarship Scheme.

  5. Based on the performances of major championships, the Focus Sports are supported on a two-year cycle to four-year cycle, with each cycle to include either the Asian Games or Olympic Games.

4. Development of Athletes

Strategies are developed to retain and attract more athletes to pursue excellence in the international sports arena. SDB is already involved in arranging placement of athletes in local schools, monitoring academic progress, arranging community functions, lectures, workshops and social activities. It is critical to attract and retain athletes in the programmes and SDB will actively seek the involvement of the corporate community to assist athletes to stay in the course. There is a continuing need to seek support from school principals and tertiary institutes to offer places to the less academically gifted but with sporting talent, with a view to providing additional funds for academic coaching to bring them up to the mark. The contribution of SDB to the educational and personal development of athletes is a major challenge for the future.

Implementation

  1. Administer the Sports Aid Foundation Fund and the Sports Aid for the Disabled Fund aiming to provide grants to elite and potential athletes based on their international achievement records in the past two years.

  2. Administer an Athletes Fund set up by the Government in 1996, aiming to provide funds for education and professional training to individual athletes.

  3. The SDB Athlete Affairs Department focus on assisting scholarship athletes in their education. A close relationship has been established with secondary schools, technical institutes and tertiary institutes for the purpose of obtaining special admission privilege and additional training/competition hours for athletes.

  4. Organise the tailor-made career training workshops for individual elite athletes and initiate a Job Opportunities Programme in 1997 to provide job training opportunities to elite athletes during their training/competing years as well as after they have retired from the sports.

5. Provision of Sports Facilities

More still needs to be done in the way of facilities provision to bring sports to the general population, to serve the needs of top athletes, and those who aspire to excellence. A facilities provision strategy must be integrated with an overall sports strategy, based on need and demand. This should address the specific needs of sports clubs and NSAs, and should also seek to explore more fully the opportunities provided by Hong Kong's coastal waters. Implementation

  1. Conduct a feasibility study on the central provision of sports facilities for Hong Kong.

  2. Provide input and reflect the demands of NSAs in the Planning Department's Steering Group Meeting on the Study of Leisure Habits and Recreation Preferences And Review Of Chapter 4 of the Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines.

  3. Initiate liaison meetings with the Provisional Urban Council on the facilities issues and joint programmes.

  4. Urge the Government

    1. to provide dedicated facilities for NSAs' organised training and competitions

    2. to develop more grass pitches for team sports

    3. to provide regional training centres for Focus Sports

    4. to upgrade the existing Sports Institute elite training facilities to meet the increasingly high performance standard of sports worldwide

6. Profile of Sports

Hong Kong has all the problems of a fast developing society. Huge strides have been made economically and financially, but the work ethic has yet to be translated into a positive sports ethic. The base in schools is still not strong, hampered as it is by a lack of facilities, inadequate resources, and the relatively low status afforded to sports by teachers, parents and the children themselves. The success of Hong Kong's athletes in sports such as windsurfing, rowing, table-tennis and squash has done much to help the process. There now exists many more opportunities for all interested agencies and organisations to promote sports as a force for the good of society.

Implementation

  1. Provide the Sports Sponsorship Advisory Service to NSAs so as to solicit more funding for NSAs as well as to raise the profile of sports.

  2. Organise the Excellence in Sports Marketing Award to encourage support from the commercial sector.

  3. Initiate Campaigns to raise public awareness of the value of sports.

  4. Co-ordinate with non-sports sectors such as the Hong Kong Tourist Association to promote sports.

  5. Partner with commercial sector to raise the profile of athletes and sports, e.g. the Coca-Cola Sports Stars Awards, McFun Day with McDonald's, etc.

  6. Produce sports promotional video to be shown in the Announcement of Public Interest programme on television.

  7. Arrange exhibitions on achievements of Hong Kong elite athletes in housing estates and shopping arcades.

  8. Develop elite athletes to be the Sports Stars and act as role models for youngsters.

7. Funding for Sports

The Government has the main funding responsibilities for sports, with these funds channelled primarily through the SDB. Funds from sponsorship and commercial operation of Sports Institute and Sports House supplement rather than supplant Government subventions.

Implementation

  1. Devise a Block Grant Scheme (please refer to Annex I for details) to support the 12 Focus Sports and the 40 Development Sports.

  2. Support Development Sports on their merits. In assessing the extent of support, the criteria used for supporting Focus Sports are applied.

  3. Set up the Sports Sponsorship Advisory Service (please refer to Annex J for details) to solicit sponsorship to support NSAs and SDB programmes.

  4. Maximize revenue generation from commercial operations of Sports Institute and Sports House.

8. Partnership in Sports Development

Sports is a part of everyday life, which embraces all sectors of the community. There are many stakeholders in sports, all of whom are currently investing considerable time, energy, skills and resources into the delivery of a wide range of programmes, events and facilities. We are prepared to harness and direct all these resources in the best interests of the end user.

Implementation

Work closely and respond proactively to the stakeholders including:

  • people of Hong Kong
  • sports clubs
  • NSAs
  • ASF&OC
  • Municipal Councils
  • Hong Kong Jockey Club through its community-spirited funding of various sports projects
  • education sector
  • the commercial organisations engaged in the staging of sports events and programmes
  • corporate sector whose increasing sponsorship in sports plays an essential supporting role
  • the media
  • the government

9. The Way Forward

  1. In accordance with its Mandate/Terms of Reference, the SDB drew up two clear and coherent 5-Year Strategic Plans for 1991-1995 and for 1996-2000, which were to map out an integrated and the most cost-effective means to promote and develop sports and physical recreation in Hong Kong, taking into account all stakeholders' roles and mandates.

  2. Both these 5-Year Strategic Plans were compiled after extensive consultation with all stakeholders without exception, and these were also endorsed by the then responsible "Branches" within the Government Secretariat.

  3. Even though the Strategic Plans were thoroughly consulted with all stakeholders, and even though the Plans were endorsed by the Branch (or now the Bureau), these were not empowered as Government policy documents. As a consequence, other stakeholders understandably place in priority the preservation of their own requirements such that a coordinated approach as laid down by the Plans cannot be effectively implemented.

  4. Preferential access and adequate usage of sporting facilities for the organised sports training needs of the NSAs have always been one of the major handicaps for years.

  5. The Board does have the vision, commitment and a clear sense of purpose and direction on sports development for Hong Kong in the next millennium. Next year, we will begin to draw up our third Strategic Plan for 2001-2005. To move sports forward, the Government has to play an active role in providing :

    1. centralised policy guidelines and support to the integrated implementation of the Strategic Plan for sports development in Hong Kong as a whole;

    2. centralised control and usage allocation of sporting facilities for organised sports training needs.

    3. The Board, while committed as always to serve sporting development in Hong Kong as a whole, is very conscious of the need to ensure that in its future development strategies, policies and programmes, the importance of sporting pursuits will be accorded top priority by the SAR Government.