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The Amateur Sports Federation and Olympic Committee (SF&OC) of Hong
Kong was founded in 1949-50 and reorganised as a National Olympic Committee
(NOC) in 1951. It changed to its present name of Sports Federation and
Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China with effect from March 8, 1999.
The federation is a member of the International Olympic Committee, the
Olympic Council of Asia and the Association of National Olympic Committees
and has been responsible for organising Hong Kong's participation in such
major multi-sports games as the Olympic, Asian, East Asian, Pacific and
National Games. With a membership of 72 National Sports Associations (NSAs),
it represents the collective voice of the Hong Kong sports community.
Office-bearers, elected biennially, include the President, eight Vice-Presidents,
the Honorary Secretary General, a maximum of three Honorary Deputy Secretaries,
and the Honorary Treasurer.
Members of the SF&OC are NSAs, which are in turn
affiliated to their International Federations (IFs) and Asian Federations
(AFs). They have the responsibility to develop and promote their specific
sports and are managed by elected officers under either the limited company
or registered society ordinances. They are empowered to coordinate and
conduct a wide range of activities related to their sports, from organising
sports and recreation programmes for beginners to training of elite athletes;
organising and sanctioning participation in local and overseas competitions
and tournaments and the training of coaches and referees. NSAs implement
and enforce local and international rules and regulations, and they represent
Hong Kong in meetings of the IFs and the AFs.
The elected officers of the SF&OC and the NSAs
are volunteers of high standing and expertise in their respective fields
of sport. They are also the cornerstones in safeguarding the autonomy
of the NOC/NSAs and in assuring a high quality of sports and recreation
in Hong Kong.
For half a century, the federation has coordinated
a comprehensive three-month Festival of Sport, commencing in March every
year. It also organises extensive education programmes for sports leaders,
administrators, coaches and technical officials free of charge, notably
through the Hong Kong Olympic Academy which offers free sports management
and sport science courses and programmes.
With the support of sponsors, the federation organises
each year the Hong Kong Sports Stars Awards, the 'Oscars' of local sport,
to recognise the achievements of top sportsmen and women. The 2002 prize
presentation was held on March 10 in conjunction with the federation's
annual spring dinner, which attracted a large turnout at the Hong Kong
Convention and Exhibition Centre.
In October, Hong Kong sent a total of 87 young athletes
and 31 officials to the 5th National Intercity Games held in Changsha.
The delegation competed in 13 out of 29 events and won two gold medals
and one bronze medal. Prior to its departure, a combined flag presentation
ceremony and torch relay was held to publicise the Games locally; the
torch relay began at the Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai and finished
at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza in Tsim Sha Tsui, where the flag
was presented.
In June, Hong Kong submitted a bid to the East Asian
Games Association to host the 5th East Asian Games in 2009. The sports
sector and the Government joined hands in this endeavour, with a Bid Committee
being formed under the chairmanship of the federation's President. The
committee's hard work in campaigning bore fruit on November 3 when the
East Asian Games Association, meeting in Macau, chose Hong Kong as the
host city. |
