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Thursday, Oct 03, 2024
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Top sports authority shoots back at ‘contradictory’ report by ice hockey body
The Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China on Friday blasted at the 11-page report submitted by the Hong Kong Ice Hockey Association a day ago, saying it contained untrue claims and criticized the contradictions in the report.
This came after the association submitted the report yesterday to strongly refute and protest allegations by the SF&OC that it didn’t present the Chinese national anthem in a dignified manner, and was being unwilling and evasive when responding the the request of SF&OC.
The report also said team leader Annie Kwan Yuen-yee had tried to hand over a USB drive which contained the correct national anthem to a staffer of the 2023 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, who refused and said he had the correct copy.
Speaking to media today, SF&OC’s honorary secretary-general Edgar Yang Joe-tsi said the top sports body hopes to learn all the facts by following up on the national anthem blunder. Yet, he said he was very disappointed after reading the association’s report last night.
Yang said both the association’s chairman Kan Yeung-kit and leader Kwan admitted to the SF&OC in a meeting on March 23 that Kwan didn’t have the USB drive on her, which contained the correct national anthem.
“We have audio recordings that clearly capture them admitting they didn’t prepare and hand over the USB drive to the organizers,” Yang said.
Yang also stressed SF&OC has never accused the association of disrespecting the national anthem. Instead, the SF&OC was saying the association didn’t handle the playing of national anthem in a serious manner in accordance with the instructions.
He added he was disappointed to see the association twisting the words of SF&OC and misleading the public.
Yang then moved on the evasive attitude of the association and recalled he texted chairman Kan on March 3 asking for a phone call, to which Kan agreed. Yet, Kan said two days later that he would explain the particulars only after Kwan returned to Hong Kong. Yang also said Kan later refused to communicate because of police intervention and they only met each other on March 23.
Yang also pointed out that SF&OC has never made any disrespectful comments towards athletes, saying that all meetings were recorded with minutes, audio recordings and written reports.
Yang said he is still reviewing the association’s report and expected the report to be submitted to the board of SF&OC for a final discussion in mid-May. The SF&OC has yet to decide on any further actions including punishment.
The report also said team leader Annie Kwan Yuen-yee had tried to hand over a USB drive which contained the correct national anthem to a staffer of the 2023 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, who refused and said he had the correct copy.
Speaking to media today, SF&OC’s honorary secretary-general Edgar Yang Joe-tsi said the top sports body hopes to learn all the facts by following up on the national anthem blunder. Yet, he said he was very disappointed after reading the association’s report last night.
Yang said both the association’s chairman Kan Yeung-kit and leader Kwan admitted to the SF&OC in a meeting on March 23 that Kwan didn’t have the USB drive on her, which contained the correct national anthem.
“We have audio recordings that clearly capture them admitting they didn’t prepare and hand over the USB drive to the organizers,” Yang said.
Yang also stressed SF&OC has never accused the association of disrespecting the national anthem. Instead, the SF&OC was saying the association didn’t handle the playing of national anthem in a serious manner in accordance with the instructions.
He added he was disappointed to see the association twisting the words of SF&OC and misleading the public.
Yang then moved on the evasive attitude of the association and recalled he texted chairman Kan on March 3 asking for a phone call, to which Kan agreed. Yet, Kan said two days later that he would explain the particulars only after Kwan returned to Hong Kong. Yang also said Kan later refused to communicate because of police intervention and they only met each other on March 23.
Yang also pointed out that SF&OC has never made any disrespectful comments towards athletes, saying that all meetings were recorded with minutes, audio recordings and written reports.
Yang said he is still reviewing the association’s report and expected the report to be submitted to the board of SF&OC for a final discussion in mid-May. The SF&OC has yet to decide on any further actions including punishment.
