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.