Olympic Games 1996

IYRU Olympic Update

28 JULY 1996

HONG KONG (HKG) WILL BE IN SYDNEY AS HKG CHINA

"In 1997, Hong Kong (HKG) will transfer to China (CHN) but we will remain a Ôspecial Administration region' of China, and we will compete in Sydney as Hong Kong China." said Bertrand de Speville, Hong Kong's Team Leader, in response to the rumour that Lai Shan Lee's likely Olympic medal in the Mistral Women's event, could well be the first and last medal won by the territory at the Summer Olympics.

"The Chinese Government agreed that the legal, economic and social systems of Hong Kong will remain unchanged for the next 50 years," he added, "this International agreement has been registered with the United Nations."

"As for the sport system, part of that agreement stipulates that Hong Kong will have a separate sports identity as at present."

"Under the constitutional law, that the Chinese have enacted for Hong Kong, and which comes into effect on 1 July 1997, Hong Kong will be able to compete internationally as Hong Kong China. The Hong Kong National Olympic Committee will continue as a separate Olympic Committee just as it has done for more than 40 years."

"So we will be in Sydney for the 2000 Olympic sailing event and we will have a separate tent just as we have now," concluded de Speville.

This means that Lai Shan Lee and the rest of the Hong Kong team could be sailing in the shadow of the Opera House if selected for 2000.

The Morning Report