Ice Hockey Association should be punished for not fully following guidelines: sports chief
It is time for the Hong Kong sports federation to impose a penalty on the ice hockey body over the anthem blunder to mark an end to this incident, said the Secretary for Culture, Sports, and Tourism Kevin Yeung Yun-hung on Sunday.
Yeung said he will request the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China (SF&OC) and Hong Kong Ice Hockey Association (HKIHA) to work out the governance arrangement for the association together, and fix problems that have arisen by laying out improvement plans and compiling everything into a report for the government.
His comment came after Hong Kong Ice Hockey Association (HKIHA) on Thursday submitted a report, which admitted they had not fully followed the guidelines to ensure the correct national anthem was played at the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division III held in Bosnia in February.
Yeung added that since the sports associations use public funds, it is essential for them to bear responsibility, as a lack of adequate management will waste the athletes' hard work and hinder the promotion of sports.
He believes that the SF&OC is also responsible for monitoring the associations under them and solving the governance issues together with the interests of the athletes and the related sports.