10th September 2022 – (Hong Kong) Hong Kong will host a number of major sports events in the next few months, including the Hong Kong Masters snooker tournament in October and the Rugby Sevens in November. Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Kevin Yeung said on a radio program this morning (10th) that the two events are tentatively scheduled to be held as scheduled. Due to the small number of athletes involved, overseas athletes will be subject to closed-loop management after arriving in Hong Kong.
Yeung mentioned that if many people remove masks at the same time during the event, it will increase the risk of transmission. However, he stressed that if only a small number of athletes participate in the event, the rest are mostly spectators. During the event, the distance between athletes and spectators will be kept as far as possible, and the risk of infection is believed to be low. However, he reminded overseas spectators that they must complete the “3+4” quarantine arrangement before they can enter the venue to watch the game.
Asked whether the daily average of more than 10,000 confirmed cases in the past week and the cancellation or postponement of many sports activities will affect Hong Kong’s reputation as the “City of Events”. Yeung admitted that it is indeed difficult to hold large-scale sports events under scientific considerations, and stressed that the government must strike a balance. After the epidemic subsides, more sports events will be held, and it will also strive to host international events.
