The incumbent Chief Executive of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Leung Chun Ying, commonly known as C.Y. Leung had announced a controversial speech after he attended the Welcome Home Ceremony for the Hong Kong athlete delegation to the Incheon 2014 Asian Para Games. He mentioned that religion and sports industries have no contribution to economy in Hong Kong.
It causes serious grievance from the society. Yu Chui Yee, who is a champion of women's wheelchair fencing in Paralympic Games and Asian Para Games, she refuted that C.Y. Leung just seeks for money, but overlook other values. Lee Wai Sze, who is best known for winning the bronze medal in women's Keirin at the 2012 London Olympics, also won gold medal in the women's sprint at the 2013 Track Cycling World Cup in Cali, Colombia and won gold in the women's 500m time-trial at the 2013 UCI World Track Championships in Belarus respectively. She rarely criticized to C.Y. Leung that he should learn about the history of Olympics how sports have an important status in society. Furthermore, Hong Kong Paralympic Committee & Sports Association for the Physically Disabled also delivered a declaration about the speech of C.Y.Leung was extremely unfair to all Hong Kong athletes.
It causes serious grievance from the society. Yu Chui Yee, who is a champion of women's wheelchair fencing in Paralympic Games and Asian Para Games, she refuted that C.Y. Leung just seeks for money, but overlook other values. Lee Wai Sze, who is best known for winning the bronze medal in women's Keirin at the 2012 London Olympics, also won gold medal in the women's sprint at the 2013 Track Cycling World Cup in Cali, Colombia and won gold in the women's 500m time-trial at the 2013 UCI World Track Championships in Belarus respectively. She rarely criticized to C.Y. Leung that he should learn about the history of Olympics how sports have an important status in society. Furthermore, Hong Kong Paralympic Committee & Sports Association for the Physically Disabled also delivered a declaration about the speech of C.Y.Leung was extremely unfair to all Hong Kong athletes.
Regarding to the speech of C.Y. Leung, I think he is really disrespectful to the Hong Kong athletes and doubtlessly he underestimates the significance of sports to Hong Kong society.
In fact, international sports events such as Hong Kong Sevens and Hong Kong Marathon can arouse tourism and retailing by attracting many foreign spectators to Hong Kong as well as create more employment opportunities every year. Moreover, promoting sports to society can increase the demand of sports products in the market and strengthen the health of Hong Kong citizens, it still indirectly benefits to economy and economizes large amount of medical expenses to the government too. Therefore, sports are definately beneficial to the economy and it have immeasurable value to different aspects of Hong Kong such as medical and educational field. If we only foucas on financial profit, then Hong Kong's core value really becomes nothing, but only remains money.
On the other hand, it is ironic that Hong Kong government always boasts that we are the biggest sports event city in Asia. However, our government did not support anything for sports to Hong Kong. For instance, Pan-To Barton Lui is a short track speed skater, who participate in Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics. He complained that they even had no team doctor in such an international competition. Besides, the government constantly postponed the development of Muti-purpose Sports Complex at Kai Tak, (previous known as Kai Tak Sports City). Our competitor, Singapore endeavours to hold huge international sport events in recent years. They spent 81 billion Hong Kong dollars to build "Singapore Sports Hub" toward organizing almost hundred sport events every year. They had been completed this project in April, 2014 although the plan of Muti-purpose Sports Complex at Kai Tak was earlier than Singapore Sports Hub.
Obviously, it indicates that Hong Kong government work efficiency is low and it is dishonesty to their promise and they may overrate the sports status of Hong Kong in Asia. They should really do something and respect whole sport and recreation field if they truly value the sport development of Hong Kong.