Hong Kong sports commissioner Sam Wong steps down after just one year in job, citing ‘personal’ reasons
Hong Kong Free Press
Hong Kong Commissioner for Sports Sam Wong has stepped down after just one year in the job, citing personal reasons.
Wong will leave on September 20, a spokesperson for the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau said in a statement on Thursday evening, a year after he took up the position.
The former Asian Games windsurfing medallist signed on for a three-year term last August. He is married to Hong Kong’s first Olympic gold medallist Lee Lai-shan, also a windsurfer.
The city’s sports commissioner reports to the permanent secretary, the bureau’s second in command.
“The [bureau] would like to thank Mr Wong for his contribution towards promotion of sports policies and sports development of Hong Kong in the past year, and wishes him all the best in his future endeavours and that he would continue to contribute to the sports sector of Hong Kong,” the statement read.
Wong tendered his resignation on “personal grounds” and had obtained the bureau’s consent, the statement read. It will choose a successor “according to the established practice.”
Wong was appointed to oversee efforts to support sports development and promote the city as a hub for international sports events.
Athlete in office
He represented Hong Kong in international windsurfing competitions throughout the 1990s before retiring, after which he became a coach at the Hong Kong Sports Institute in 2000.
Wong began managing an athlete development programme under the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee in 2008, and in 2017 became executive director of the Hong Kong Amateur Hockey Club.
Hong Kong athletes made history at this summer’s Paris Olympics, winning two gold medals and two bronze, with Chief Executive John Lee hailing them as “heroes.” February’s Messi debacle – in which the football superstar failed to play at an exhibition match in Hong Kong – happened under his watch and that of sports minister Kevin Yeung.
His appointment drew mixed reactions as he was a veteran athlete rather than a bureaucrat.
Sports chief Yeung said last year: “With his dedication to sports, a strong background in athlete training, and substantial experience in the sports sector, I trust that Mr Wong will be able to bring new impetus to… sports development.”
Support HKFP | Policies & Ethics | Error/typo? | Contact Us | Newsletter | Transparency & Annual Report | Apps
Help safeguard press freedom & keep HKFP free for all readers by supporting our team
HKFP has an impartial stance, transparent funding, and balanced coverage guided by an Ethics Code and Corrections Policy.
Support press freedom & help us surpass 1,000 monthly Patrons: 100% independent, governed by an ethics code & not-for-profit.