Hong Kong athletes could receive HK$10 million ($1.275 million) or more for winning a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The Hong Kong Sports Federation and Olympic Committee (SF&OC) and the Hong Kong Jockey Club are already known to financially reward athletes, but the legislature Michael Luk Chung-hung believes the government should join forces with private companies and sports organizations such as the Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI) and SF&OC to match the incentives offered.
According to Luk, greater recognition from the government could encourage athletes to win medals.
In 2021, the fencer Cheung Ka-long received 5 million Hong Kong dollars ($637,500) from the Jockey Club after winning gold at the Tokyo Olympics. Hong Kong won two silvers and three bronzes at the Games. They also won two silver and three bronze medals at the Paralympics.
The Jockey Club rewarded athletes for the medals they won at last year’s Asian Games. Athletes who won gold received HK$1 million ($127,500). The Jockey Club awarded HK$500,000 (US$63,750) for silver and HK$250,000 (US$31,875) for bronze. In total, Hong Kong has won eight gold, 16 silver and 29 bronze medals at the Asian Games.
Luk believes that the incentives given were haphazard and that the government should work with private companies and sports clubs to create a well-organized sponsorship program.
The Jockey Club Athlete Incentive Award Scheme for Paris will probably be announced by HKSI next month.
Although Hong Kong does not have a medal target for Paris, Luk proposed that all Hong Kong athletes who achieve a medal receive an equivalent incentive.
If implemented, this could have a direct impact on Siobhan Haughey, who is one of three Hong Kong swimmers who have qualified for Paris so far. They will join her Cindy Cheung And Ian Ho. Haughey won silver at the Tokyo Olympics in the women’s 100 and 200 freestyle, becoming the country’s first Olympic medalist.
