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64-574: The institute, then called the Jubilee Sports Centre (JSC), was envisioned to provide "top class coaching and training for promising and outstanding" athletes, with an emphasis on training young people and in providing a great variety of activities and programmes. The Jubilee Sports Centre Ordinance was enacted in 1977. Sir Alberto Rodrigues , chairman of the JSC Board, stated in 1977, "we do not see any sports excluded" and explained that

128-623: A coach of the Hong Kong women's national handball team for faking timecard records. In August 2021, a triathlete who represented Hong Kong at the 2020 Summer Olympics stated that NSAs had enough funding, but were not doing enough to identify and develop top athletes to funnel them to the Hong Kong Sports Institute , causing about 90% of qualified triathletes to drop out of the sport. In September 2021, SCMP published an article which detailed multiple complaints against

192-524: A disadvantage. After the multiple public requests to change elite sports selection, the chairman of HKSI, Lam Tai-fai, said that he was hesitant to add more sports, claiming that in doing so, "the overall quality would slip" for elite sports. Tony Choi Yuk-kwan, deputy executive director of the HKSI, said that "The Asian Games are our main target and the Olympic Games are our ultimate goal", however of

256-477: A more "medal-oriented strategy" and that HKSI should focus on funding sports which Asians have excelled at, stating "If we look at the sports won by our Asian counterparts in the Tokyo Games - such as shooting , archery or those with a weight category such as judo , weightlifting , karate or taekwondo - these are sports in which Asians are not at a disadvantage to stronger, bigger Westerners. However, it

320-682: A name change bill in the Legislative Council in February 1991 to "reflect more accurately its role in promoting sport". The centre was renamed "Hong Kong Sports Institute" later that year. The institute was the site of equestrian events of the 2008 Summer Olympics . In order to make way for the Olympic Games, the sports institute temporarily relocated to the YMCA Wu Kai Sha Youth Village in January 2007 and

384-547: A rising deficit of HK$ 33,000 in 2014-15 to HK$ 588,000 in 2018-19. Audit also accused SF&OC of having unclear criteria for selecting athletes for international competitions, including the selection of 11 of 17 athletes for the 2018 Asian Games based on criteria that was not previously given to their NSAs. A month later, in May 2020, Legislative Council members questioned the Olympic Committee's governance, accusing

448-444: Is also linked to performance at competitions, which gives younger athletes who are still developing their skills a disadvantage, as it creates a cycle where the more senior and best athletes are given funding. Chris Perry, head rowing coach at HKSI, said that youth needed to be funded, or else it would be too late to develop them into medal-winning athletes. A separate SCMP editorial agreed and said that youth in non tier A sports are at

512-768: Is the National Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China . As such it is a separate member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). It is also a member of the Olympic Council of Asia . The current president is Timothy Fok . The headquarters building is called the Hong Kong Olympic House , located beside Hong Kong Stadium . Before the handover of Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to

576-446: Is very difficult for athletes from these sports to get Tier-A support from the sports institute." Athletes and coaches who talked to SCMP also expressed hope that there would be changes in the elite sports system. One example is that tier A athletes can get up to HK$ 41,030 in funding each month, while tier B athletes receive less funding and support, a gap "too big" which could hamper the winning of medals in less-popular sports. Funding

640-542: The East Rail line via a footbridge spanning the Tai Po Road . It is also accessible via the extensive cycle track network serving Sha Tin. 22°23′41.88″N 114°12′07.44″E  /  22.3949667°N 114.2020667°E  / 22.3949667; 114.2020667 Alberto Rodrigues Sir Alberto Maria Rodrigues CBE ED FRCPE ( Chinese : 羅理基 , 5 November 1911 – 5 February 2006)

704-683: The Fo Tan Nullah was dismantled. In its place a nine-storey Main Building was erected to house offices, hostels for local and visiting athletes, a canteen, conference and lecture rooms, a 400-seat auditorium, and related ancillary facilities. The Main Building opened in 2013. To replace the cycle track, a temporary velodrome was built at Whitehead, Wu Kai Sha , to serve athletes until the indoor Hong Kong Velodrome opened in Tseung Kwan O New Town in 2014. The existing 25-metre swimming pool

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768-666: The Hong Kong Jockey Club took over the site to prepare it for competition. In the 2006-2007 edition of the policy address , the Chief Executive announced a major redevelopment of the HKSI "to provide world-class training facilities to elite athletes in Hong Kong". The government allocated $ 1.8 billion for this redevelopment in 2008. Many new facilities have been constructed in the years since, and existing venues were refurbished. The outdoor velodrome beside

832-579: The People's Republic of China in 1997, the committee was called the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong and participated in 12 games (all summer) under the name "Hong Kong". After the 1997 handover, Hong Kong became a special territory as a result of the earlier 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration , which stipulates that, albeit being part of China, it enjoys a highly autonomous status. The Basic Law , its constitution, guarantees

896-537: The 20 top tier A sports, 5 of them, or 25%, are not Olympic sports. In October 2023, despite winning a gold medal at the 2022 Asian Games , Hong Kong Golf Club captain Andy Kwok said that HKSI did not support golf as an elite sport. Another opinion article stated that golfers in the city had no government facilities to train in. SCMP published an article, which stated that "But the HK$ 7.4 billion (US$ 945 million) that

960-683: The 2017-18 year. In October 2020, the Chief Secretary for Administration announced that the HAB would provide HK$ 5 million each year for 5 years (2020-21 to 2025-26) to SF&OC to review the operation and internal monitoring of all national sports association members, designed to review and audit their processes. In 2021, ICAC charged the vice chairman of the executive committee of the Hong Kong Basketball Association (HKBA) with disclosing an ICAC probe, as well as

1024-545: The Audit Commission submitted a report to the Legislative Council, with recommendations to tighten up supervision of taxpayer funds to NSAs. In January 2010, the LCSD's Sports Commission wrote a policy named "Governance of National Sports Associations", outlining methods that the LCSD would take to further promote transparent governance from NSAs. In November 2010, a newspaper published an open letter, which questioned

1088-770: The British Empire (Military Division) after the war. He was also rewarded with the Order of Christ by Portugal for his services to the Portuguese community in 1949. In 1950, Dr. Rodrigues went to North America for further post-graduate work. After he returned to Hong Kong in 1953, he was appointed to the Legislative Council in 1959 and to Executive Council where he became the Senior Unofficial Member until his retirement in 1974. He

1152-590: The Chan Kai Ming Prize. He studied paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology in Lisbon and London in the following three years before he began his private practice in Hong Kong in 1937. He was a popular sportsman in cricket, tennis and badminton circles, represented Hong Kong at hockey both against Malaya and Macao. In the Urban Council election of 1940 , he was elected to the Urban Council as

1216-429: The HKSI did not allow spectators to attend a qualifying competition for Hong Kong's Olympic swimming team, citing internal policy, despite having a swimming venue with the ability to host 1,500 spectators. In August 2024, concerns were raised that government subsidies for athletes through HKSI were too low, with one athlete saying the monthly stipend was like "pocket money." The institute is linked to Fo Tan station on

1280-409: The HKSI is an obstacle for sports and athletes to develop into elite sports in the first place, and that funding is diverted to elite sports rather than growing other sports into an elite level. In July 2024, a vice chairman of the HKSI, Vincent Cheng Wing-shun , said that the current tiers of sports should be reviewed to better identify elite athletes and develop middle-tier athletes. In April 2024,

1344-495: The Hong Kong Ice Hockey Association (HKIHA), from former coaches and players. They accused the association of lacking transparency in corporate governance, as well as conflicts of interest between the chairman and the association, causing the development of the sport to be hampered. Some of those interviewed claimed that they had been frustrated with the association from the 1990s, and that letters to

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1408-548: The Hong Kong government. It is funded by the Elite Athletes Development Fund, established in 2012 with HK$ 7 billion in taxpayer funds, and given another HK$ 6 billion in 2019. In August 2021, the government announced that it would apply for HK$ 990 million in funds to speed up construction of a new facility at HKSI. The government also announced that it would spend HK$ 150 million as a "booster fund" for HKSI's sports science and medical support. In 2023,

1472-548: The ICAC formulated the "Best Practice Reference for Governance of National Sports Associations - Towards Excellence in Sports Professional Development". ICAC's goal was to enhance governance and transparency from NSAs. Additionally, ICAC further mentioned that the report was for "Addressing public concern on the governance of national sports associations (NSAs)". In 2020, the Audit Commission found that

1536-478: The LCSD and ICAC held a seminar, named "Striving for Good Corporate Governance" to brief more than 100 members of NSAs on ways prevent corruption. The Deputy Director of the LCSD said that "As users of public funds, sports bodies must not only discharge their obligations under the Subvention Agreement but also conduct their business in a transparent, fair and open manner." In 2007, an investigation

1600-466: The LCSD had gone ignored. In April 2022, the Hong Kong Basketball Association (HKBA) drew criticism from local basketball players, after local media reported that the HKBA had withdrawn from the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup and did not register a team to participate in the qualifiers; the HKBA claimed that there was a miscommunication issue. In September 2023, local media reported that 2 sports associations under

1664-526: The Olympic Committee's total government funding was HK$ 38.9 million in 2018-19. In response, Baptist University 's Professor Chung Pak-kwong, former chief executive of the Hong Kong Sports Institute , said that the SF&;OC "has grown into an empire and transparency and accountability are not in their dictionary". Furthermore, the SCMP released an editorial, agreeing with the Audit Commission and stating that

1728-581: The SF&OC had consistently failed to submit annual audited financial returns; the Hong Kong Weightlifting and Powerlifting Association, and the Hong Kong Tug of War Association. In October 2023, Bernard Chan wrote that "governing bodies must operate to the highest professional standards, with equally high standards of governance, accountability and transparency." In January 2024, a former Hong Kong elite Olympic coach moved to

1792-650: The SF&OC had yet to implement some of the best practices. In 2013, ICAC hosted another seminar with coaches from 33 NSAs, on the prevention of issues such as bribery and conflicts of interest. In February 2015, the Legislative Council released an 85-page research report on the SF&OC, which pointed out deficiencies, such as "NOCs in Hong Kong and Singapore have hitherto released limited publicly available information regarding their operations. While they have uploaded their respective constitution onto their websites, other relevant documents such as annual reports, balance sheets and statements of accounts are not available in

1856-399: The SF&OC of lacking transparency when selecting athletes for the 2018 Asian Games . In particular, the legislators asked why the fastest swimmer was not selected to compete, with a slower swimmer selected instead. In one conversation, legislator Abraham Razack asked "The Olympic Committee spends HK$ 20 million a year of public money but has it been fair to the athletes?" SCMP noted that

1920-671: The SF&OC receives 3 sources of government funding: According to the Audit Commission, total government funding for 2018-19 was HK$ 38.9 million. The HAB said that it will increase its funding from HK$ 20 million in 2019-20 to HK$ 40.6 million in 2020-21. An additional HK$ 5 million each year for 5 years (2020-21 to 2025-26) will go to the SF&OC to review the operation and internal monitoring of all national sports association members, designed to review and audit their processes. In November 2022, honorary secretary general Ronny Wong said that junior staff should not be allowed to play national anthems at competitions, after " Glory to Hong Kong "

1984-468: The Secretary of Home Affairs, Patrick Ho , about NSAs and a perceived waste of taxpayer money, stating "Many national sports associations (NSAs) rely on public funding for operation and hosting sports events. However, some members of the public query some NSAs for their failure to make effective use of the funding to promote and develop sports events, resulting in a waste of public money." In June 2006,

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2048-531: The UK because she said Hong Kong did not offer enough support for elite coaches, saying she was unpaid. In June 2024, the ex-head coach of Hong Kong football team, Jorn Andersen, said that Hong Kong Football Association receiving millions of taxpayer dollars every year made the HKFA have no motivation to improve, and said that the HKFA needed to be "more professional, from top to bottom," and did "not do enough" to improve

2112-591: The aim was to improve sports standards in the territory and that the centre would seek out skilled athletes to provide them further training. A 41-acre site beside the new Sha Tin Racecourse was chosen and construction was financed jointly by the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club and the government, with additional support from the Queen's Silver Jubilee Fund. The thus-named Jubilee Sports Centre

2176-556: The anthem and flag, and that the SFOC would instruct players to make gestures if the played anthem is incorrect. In March 2023, after another incident where Glory to Hong Kong was played, Pui Kwan-kay of the SF&OC said that the government should force Google to de-prioritize the song on its search results. The SF&OC created a committee to investigate the Hong Kong Ice Hockey Association (HKIHA) after

2240-520: The association. In August 2024, after complaints that athletes were paid less than minimum wage, Edgar Yang, an official of the SF&OC, said that athletes should consider their stipends as a "perk." After Yang's statement, multiple current and former athletes complained about the financial burdens they endured. Other National Olympic Committees, such as the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee , do not receive any taxpayer funding. By contrast,

2304-511: The city's sports development was at risk. In July 2020, the Legislative Council's Public Accounts Committee criticized the Hong Kong Football Association under Timothy Fok, stating its governance was "appalling and inexcusable". It noted that an internal audit committee, designed to review the association's use of taxpayer funding, was not active between 2015 and 2019, despite receiving HK$ 34 million in funding for

2368-564: The club-financed projects can stand firm on their feet". At the time, Ocean Park was making a profit of around $ 1 million per year, while the JSC was operating on a deficit. These operating costs were covered by the Jockey Club, Hong Kong's largest charity. Financial control was transferred from the Jockey Club to the JSC board of directors, and the club paid the centre a $ 350 million grant designed to cover operating expenses up to 2007. By 1991, it

2432-500: The criteria used to select Roller sports athletes for the 2010 Asian Games . The government responded that only the SF&OC and NSAs were responsible for selecting athletes, and that "While the Government respects the autonomy and independence of the SF&OC and NSAs, we nonetheless closely monitor the use of public money by these organisations to ensure that it is deployed effectively in promoting sports development." In 2011,

2496-603: The government allocated HK$ 860 million to HKSI. It supports 20 tier A sports, not all of which are Olympic sports, such as squash, wushu, and tenpin bowling. It supports 13 other sports as tier B, most of which are not Olympic sports. However, some Olympic sports with National Sports Associations recognized by the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, such as Olympic weightlifting , are not supported in either tier A or tier B. The vast majority of funding goes to tier A sports. HKSI has been criticized for its selection of its 20 tier A and 13 tier B sports. Pui Kwan-kay,

2560-512: The government may conduct a review to determine whether the criteria for tier A sports needed to be changed, but it would first need to collect opinions from stakeholders. Chung Pak-kwong, professor at Baptist University and former chief executive of HKSI, has said that though Hong Kong at the 2020 Summer Olympics won 6 medals, it took longer than expected to get those medals, as Hong Kong had invested 40 years and billions of HKD, mostly into developing tier A sports. For example, Chung said that with

2624-515: The government says has been spent in the past decade on the development of sportsmen and women needs to be accounted for, and in gymnastics, athletics and elsewhere, it is time to ask some hard questions." An opinion article released in July 2024 noted that eligibility for HKSI is based on sport, rather than athletes, so National Sports Associations need to perform well in order for elite athletes to be selected. The author also noted that lacking access to

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2688-429: The government's Audit Commission released a 141-page report after investigating the Olympic Committee, describing various failures with the SF&OC, including lax governance. The Audit Commission noted that around half of SF&OC's 29 subcommittees had not met for two years. Procurement rules were also not followed, including the SF&OC getting only single quotes from suppliers instead of tendering offers, causing

2752-642: The government's support, the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee submitted Hong Kong's bid for hosting the 2006 Asian Games to the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) in 2000. Hong Kong lost the bid to Doha at the OCA general meeting held in Busan , South Korea on 12 November 2000. At the 2008 Summer Olympics , the territory hosted the equestrian events . In January 2023, the SFOC told its member National Sports Associations (NSAs) that they must include

2816-487: The head of Hong Kong's Olympic delegation, has said that the HKSI's elite system places emphasis and funding on sports which have already won medals or have gotten good results, creating a cycle which keeps those sports growing, but keeps other lower-profile sports, which have potential, from growing. For example, out of 60 recognized National Sports Associations, only 20 of them have been selected as tier A elite sports. Yeung Tak-keung, Sports Commissioner of Hong Kong, said that

2880-406: The incident, and said that the association may be kicked out of the Olympic Committee for failing to follow procedures to produce the correct anthem. The HKIHA responded by saying that the SF&OC provided a faulty link to download the correct anthem, when the webpage was changed to English. The HKIHA also said that the SF&OC was to blame, and said "We felt that the SF&OC personnel handling

2944-613: The matter hoped to prove that only the HKIHA was at fault, and did not treat SF&OC's role and responsibility in this incident seriously." In May 2023, the SF&OC told its member sports associations to boycott ceremonies if the event organizer does not let them verify the national anthem. Only the members of SF&OC could send athletes to representing Hong Kong in multi-sports events organized by Asian Olympics Committee or IOC , such as Asian Games and Olympic Games . Hong Kong Sports Stars Awards also only accept those athletes by

3008-428: The money spent, Hong Kong at the 2016 Summer Olympics should have won medals; instead, 0 medals were won. Chung also that the 20 tier A sports needed to be reviewed, and that some of the current tier A sports "may not even be able to achieve any breakthrough in the coming years", giving a reason to reclassify them to non-elite sports. A senior sports official also commented and told SCMP that Hong Kong should adopt

3072-621: The public domain. In comparison, NOCs in Australia, Japan and the US show a high degree of openness and transparency with proactive disclosure of relevant information for the public understanding and scrutiny of their operations." In 2015, a seminar was co-hosted between the SF&OC and the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC), on eliminating sexual harassment in the sports sector. However, three years later in 2018, it

3136-655: The sport. He also named Eric Fok as not taking enough action for the sport. In July 2024, Alex Fong criticized the Hong Kong China Swimming Association for not allowing a young swimmer to compete, despite the swimmer having a qualified time. Fong said that the association was "indifferent" towards young and promising athletes; the association later allowed the young swimmer to compete, but did not change its regulations to allow future swimmers from competition swimming clubs to compete, and said that future swimmers must first write an application to

3200-589: The territory's right to join international organisations and events independently (such as the Olympic Games ) that are not restricted to sovereign states, under the new name "Hong Kong, China". If any of the Hong Kong athletes wins a medal in the Olympics, the Hong Kong flag is raised during the medal ceremony, but the national anthem of the People's Republic of China is played for any gold medalists. With

3264-495: The word "China" in their association names by July 2023, or else face expulsion from the SFOC, which could result in them losing government funding and their right to represent the city in major competitions. Edgar Yang Joe-tsi of the SFOC cited Article 149 of the Basic Law as reason for the requirement. However, Article 149 states that the phrase "Hong Kong, China" be used "as required," which member NSAs had understood to mean it

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3328-614: The youngest member without aid from any organisation with a political platform. He resumed his office after the war until 1950 when he went to North America. Dr. Rodrigues was member of the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps and was held prisoner of war as lieutenant in Shamshuipo Camp during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong . He was promoted to captain and was made a Member of the Order of

3392-554: Was a Hong Kong medical doctor, academic and politician. He was Senior Unofficial Member of the Executive Council of Hong Kong , and Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Executive Council of the University of Hong Kong . He was born on 5 November 1911. His mother's death occurred a few weeks after he was born, his father died when he was nine years old. He was brought up by an uncle who had seven children of his own. He

3456-690: Was appointed Chairman of the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the University of Hong Kong in 1962. He was rewarded the Doctor of Laws honoris causa in the same year by the University of Hong Kong. Dr. Rodrigues died at St. Paul's Hospital in Causeway Bay on 5 February 2006. He was pre-deceased by his first wife, Cynthia Maria Silvia in 1987, and by his second wife, Ana Maria (Aninhas) de Azevedo de Castro Basto in 2002. He

3520-623: Was conducted by the Ombudsman , who was concerned about whether the LCSD had appropriate mechanisms to monitor NSAs for conflict of interests. The issue stemmed from a March 2006 complaint that the Hong Kong Amateur Athletic Association (HKAAA) had awarded a contract to a company owned by the HKAAA's chairman. Separately, in early 2007, the LCSD organized two workshops for NSAs on governance. In October 2009,

3584-632: Was educated at St Joseph's College , graduating in 1927, and he subsequently studied in the University of Hong Kong with the Inez Soares scholarship. He captained in the University Cricket Eleven and finished at the top of the League in 1932. Rodrigues also a Captain of Hockey and played hockey for Hong Kong. Although he was preoccupied with sporting activities, he passed his medical finals in 1934, receiving his degree and winning

3648-418: Was joined by a new Olympic-size swimming pool , with the two venues integrated into a single indoor complex. At the north end of the campus a new multi-purpose sports centre was built, housing a new tenpin bowling alley, squash courts, and a martial arts training centre. The architect for the redevelopment of the HKSI was P&T Architects and Engineers . The HKSI has an annual budget of HK$ 700 million from

3712-613: Was later on appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1960 and Commander of the Order the British Empire in 1964. He was also made a Chevalier of the French Legion of Honour in 1962 and made a Knight Grand Cross of the Roman Catholic Order of St. Sylvester in 1966. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1971 in recognition of his immense contributions to the community of Hong Kong. Dr. Rodrigues

3776-425: Was opened by Prince Edward, Duke of Kent on 31 October 1982. It was originally managed by the Jockey Club. By 1986, the Jockey Club sought to make the Jubilee Sports Centre and Ocean Park independent entities, reportedly on the advice of the government to focus on racing activities following doping and fixing scandals and on the club's own policy to "leave the management responsibilities to an independent body once

3840-674: Was optional. Yang also said "You are also reminded to use the name 'Hong Kong, China' when participating in any international sports competitions/activities and to display it on uniforms, websites and all other publicity materials, where applicable." The SF&OC and its member NSAs have been repeatedly cautioned throughout the years by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) and Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) against corruption and to implement better governance. In December 2003, Legislative Council member Albert Chan asked

3904-468: Was played at a rugby match in South Korea. Wong also said he found the mistake hard to believe and would not accept the explanation or apology from Asia Rugby, and said that South Korea should be banned from hosting similar events. Wong also said that most of the Hong Kong team members were "foreigners". After a second incident was revealed, Wong said that the SFOC would issue new guidelines on using

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3968-510: Was reported that the centre was on track to exhaust these funds "well before" 2007. In 1989, the Executive Council recommended the establishment of the Hong Kong Sports Development Board to bolster athletic training in the territory, and "envisaged that, in support of such objectives, the Jubilee Sports Centre should be developed into a Hong Kong Sports Institute". Secretary for Home Affairs Peter Tsao moved

4032-715: Was revealed that only 10 of 79 NSAs had created guidelines against sexual harassment. The chairman of the EOC stated that "We are disappointed to see many NSAs that have not produced such guidelines and policies". In August 2016, the Hong Kong Economic Journal released an article, accusing the SF&OC and Timothy Fok of various transgressions. For example, it claimed Timothy Fok has power on all important subcommittees, including those which select athletes, and those which control finances. In addition, it claimed that Timothy Fok appointed his son, Kenneth Fok , as vice-president, without transparency, and that Kenneth Fok has no record in any type of sporting achievement. In April 2020,

4096-412: Was survived by his son Albert (Tito) and daughters Ann and Mari, several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was buried in the Catholic Cemeteries at the Gardens of Gethsemani in Surrey, British Columbia , Canada . Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China The Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China ( 中國香港體育協會暨奧林匹克委員會 ; in short SFOC , 港協暨奧委會 )

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