IOC chief seeks assurance on HK
IOC chief seeks assurance on HK
HONG KONG (AFP): Hong Kong's future in international sport is assured but its name is not, Olympic supremo Juan Antonio Samaranch said yesterday.
The International Olympic Committee president is in Hong Kong for the handover and to get final guarantees from Chinese leaders about the territory's participation in international events.
He said there were issues to be finalized like the name and emblem to be used by Hong Kong and its competitors at the Olympics, Asian Games and other events.
China wants the new Special Administrative Region (SAR) to compete as "Hong Kong, China," but many sports leaders in the territory oppose this. It also wants the Bauhinia flower which is on Hong Kong's new flag to be the emblem.
A deal is expected to be struck under which teams will be called Hong Kong, China, but an emblem featuring the Bauhinia will only carry the words "Hong Kong." China's national anthem will be used.
"The IOC's main priority is that the youth of Hong Kong continue to take part in major Games and competitions around the world as an autonomous national Olympic committee," the Spaniard said.
"There is no threat of any kind to Hong Kong's future autonomy as a separate MOC," he said.
Samaranch was to meet Hong Kong's future leader Tung Chee-hwa and fly to Beijing today to meet Chinese sports officials before returning tomorrow to make what his aides said would be "an important announcement."
The IOC had to broker a complicated deal so Taiwan could compete in Olympics as Chinese Taipei when mainland China was recognized. Samaranch has said he expects this transition to be much smoother.
Hong Kong has one of the wealthiest sporting movements in Asia but has not made the impact on the sporting world to match its economic power.
The territory's first Olympic title was won by windsurfer Lee Lai-shan at the Atlanta Olympics last year.
Lee has returned from studies in Australia to attend the handover. "As a Chinese I am very happy about the return," she said of the historic occasion.
Hong Kong has also invested heavily in bringing in mainland swimming coaches, with China's medley world record holder Lin Li the latest to arrive this month.