As there is no specific policy on sports in Hong Kong, the development of sports has been stagnant. Sports does not only promote the physical and mental well-being of the participants, it also brings great benefits to society. Since the reunification, the Government has been busy dealing with various economic and political crises and does not have the time to work on policies which require long-term planning, including the sports policy. Hence, there are doubts about whether the Government’s policy of “promoting sports in the community, supporting elite sports and developing Hong Kong into a prime destination for hosting major international sports events” back then has been reduced to nothing more than a slogan now.
I enjoy running and I can share with you that sports do not only strengthen physical fitness and promote health, but also make people real good. It is also a good time to think of new ideas while running. Hence, I have been a keen supporter of sports development and I encourage the public to engage in sports. However, the Government needs to formulate a long-term policy to promote sports. To put it simply, sports basically promote physical and mental health of the public, and thus public healthcare expenditures can be reduced.
However, the benefits which sports bring are far more than that. Sports also make a significant contribution to the stability and harmony of society. In the United Kingdom and in many countries across Europe, football is so popular that it has actually been developed into a social culture. Football matches are an essential part of the leisure of the public. The sport is not only a leisure activity, it unites the community and the nation and greatly reduces discontentment in society. As family members can easily find a common topic or devotion to share, the family bond is strengthened. As we can see on television, whenever there is a major match, local supporters will participate in the event enthusiastically. Since the people have found sustenance in life, they are more satisfied with society and social conflicts will naturally be reduced. Therefore, sports is an important mechanism for the promotion of stability in every country.
Frankly speaking, there is a great need to establish a similar mechanism in Hong Kong. Since Hong Kong is a fully-developed economy, young people do not have much room for upward mobility and most of them cannot obtain a sense of satisfaction or achievement from work. Therefore, it is necessary for them to find a personal interest for sustenance in life. A sport provides the best option. Whether they are participating in a sport or watching a sports competition, it will bring them a lot of pleasure and relieve them of the stress at work. I once worked in a German company. Young people in Germany actually face similar problems. The government of Germany encourages cultural development among young people so that they can have more fun in life. Sports are one of their key initiatives. Therefore, sports and the policy of the whole society are interrelated. Many foreign governments have attached great importance to the policy on sports. The SAR Government should learn from their experience and seriously formulate a long-term sports policy.
How can sports development be promoted? The original motion today has put forward many useful suggestions which are worthy of the Government’s consideration. I believe we should start with promoting sports in the community. It is best to begin at schools because students are the group that regularly participates in sports. Many sports enthusiasts actually cultivate an interest in sports when they are students. The Government should encourage schools to pay attention to the development of the subject of physical education so that students will be taught more knowledge of sports and nurtured an interest in sports. In addition, more intra- and inter-school sports competitions can be held to enable students of different standards to have the opportunity for participation.
At the same time, the Government should provide more good-quality and affordable sports facilities in the community. Otherwise, even the public want to play sports, there are no venues for them to do so. Also, more competitions can be organized at the community level. I support the idea of forming sports teams by the public to participate in competitions. Furthermore, sports can be regarded as a trendy activity, such as the cycling hit in recent years, which is worth promoting by the Government. The Government should also build major cycling tracks to tie in with this trend.
As far as supporting elite sports and developing Hong Kong into a prime destination for hosting major international sports events are concerned, the conditions in Hong Kong are unfavourable for nurturing professional athletes because very few professional sports competitions are held locally and the standards of those held are not high. I have suggested the Government to assist local football, basketball and volleyball teams to take part in the professional league in the Mainland. This will enhance the standards of our athletes, attract the people of Hong Kong to watch sports games and support local teams, as well as facilitate exchanges between Hong Kong and different provinces and cities in the Mainland. Of course, there will be full of hurdles. In order to achieve desirable results, many technical and financial problems have to be resolved. Although negative stories about the professional league in the Mainland are reported from time to time and the proposal may give rise to controversies, I think it is still worthy of the Government’s consideration. If one or two strong teams can be formed in Hong Kong to contest the championship in the professional league in the Mainland, it will certainly attract the support of the people of Hong Kong and the development of the relevant sports will successfully be promoted.
Finally, the original motion proposes to develop sports-related industries, including sports insurance, to provide athletes and young people with diversified career pathways, and encourage the business sector to sponsor sports activities. As the Member representing the insurance sector, I certainly welcome the proposal and agree to the need to develop sports-related insurance products. However, the premise is that there is a considerable demand in the market without which the business cannot sustain in the long term. I believe other sports-related industries will face the same problem too. Therefore, the Government should first formulate a long-term sports policy and vigorously promote the development of sports. When more people like sports, the development of sports-related industries will naturally see a success. I so submit.