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ISSH24/18-19

Community and elite sports in Kong

Figure 1 – Government expenditure on sports Highlights

HK$2,850m HK$223m HK$31m  Over the past eight years, the recurrent 2011-2012 government spending on sports development 2012-2013 has surged by 63% to HK$5.1 billion in 2018-2019. 2013-2014 This was broadly similar to the respective 2014-2015 growth of 67% in the overall recurrent

2015-2016 spending. A bulk (85%) of this sports

2016-2017 spending went to community sports in 2018-

2017-2018 2019, followed by elites sports (14%) and HK$4,274m HK$692m HK$88m 2018-2019 major sports events (2%) (Figure 1).

(HK$ million) 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000  On community sports, there are concerns that Community sports Elite sports Major sports events more than half of the local population still do

not have enough physical exercise. According Figure 2 – Proportion of local adult population with to the health standard stipulated by the World sufficient physical activity* Health Organization ("WHO"), each adult

100% should exercise for at least 75-150 minutes 76.7% 72.5% each week. Yet only 44% of local adults could

meet this guideline in 2016, far below the 43.6% 50% 39.5% 37.4% 35.7% global figure of 73% (Figure 2).

Global

 Inadequate sports facilities seem to have

impeded community sports. Taking the 2010 2012 2014 2016 sports centre as an illustration, based on the Note: (*) WHO recommends that adults need to have at least 75 minutes of vigorous exercise or 150 minutes of latest Hong Kong Planning Standard and moderate exercise per week for healthy life. Guidelines, there should be one such centre for 65 000 people, suggesting that some Figure 3 – Number of selected public sports facilities 115 sports centres should have been built with the current population. However, there were No. of Planning No. of Derived facilities in standard facilities shortfall only 99 sports centres in Hong Kong right now, 2018 needed* giving rise to a 14% shortfall (Figure 3). In the Sports centres 99 1:65 000 115 16 five-year plan announced in 2017, the Sports grounds 25 1:250 000 30 5 Government plans to build or enhance pool 44 1:287 000 26 -- 54 sports facilities (including one sports centre, complexes two sports grounds, four swimming pool 638 1:8 000 931 293 complexes, nine football pitches and courts 11 courts). Yet they still appear to Basketball courts 521 1:10 000 745 224 be too few to meet the service demand. 7-a-side soccer 198 1:30 000 248 50 pitches Note: (*) Figures are derived from the mid-2018 population (i.e. 7.45 million) and Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines 2018.

Community and elite sports in Hong Kong (cont'd)

Figure 4 – Number of elite athletes supported by Highlights Hong Kong Sports Institute  No. of athletes Turning to elite sports, the Hong Kong Sports HK$660m Institute ("HKSI") has been responsible for 1 200 grooming and supporting elite athletes since its foundation in 2004. With the establishment of 800 HK$266m 441 Elite Athletes Development Fund as a stable source 500 450 460 472 of income in 2011, the expenditure of HKSI staged a 474 474 400 381 443 strong growth of 148% during 2010-2018 (Figure 4). 487 346 422 The number of elite athletes supported by HKSI 206 257 279 308 165 182 likewise increased significantly by 70% in eight 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 years to 928 in 2018. For the full-time athletes, Part-time elite athletes they increased much faster by 195% to 487 in 2018, Full-time elite athletes close to the target of 500 by 2019. Total expenditure of HKSI* (HK$ million)

Note: (*) Financial year figures.  Including both full-time and part-time athletes, direct subsidies to elite athletes averaged at Figure 5 – Number of medals won in Asian HK$8,392 per month in 2017-2018, representing an Games, 2006-2018 increase of 45% over five years. Increased resource support seems to have contributed to 50 Total: 46 Total: 42 better results in major sports competitions. In the Total: 40 8 6 8 2018 , Hong Kong athletes won a total Total: 29 Gold 12 18 of 46 medals, up from 42 medals in 2014 (Figure 5). 6 25 15 Silver 12 Bronze 24  For athletes with disabilities ("AWDs"), there have 17 20 11 been concerns over inadequate support as they used to be trained on a part-time capacity. In 2006 2010 2014 2018 December 2017, the Government began to provide Doha Incheon Jakarta full-time subsidies to about half of AWDs, resulting

in a significant annual increase in the average Figure 6 – Number of medals won in Asian monthly subsidy by 68% to HK$6,633 in 2017-2018. Para Games, 2010-2018 In the third Asian Para Games in 2018, local AWDs 50 Total: 48 won a total of 48 medals, up from the 44 medals in Total: 44 2014 (Figure 6). 40 11 10 Gold 30 Total: 28 16 15  In the 2019-2020 Budget, the Government allocated 5 Silver 20 9 HK$250 million to support livelihood of athletes Bronze after their retirement from elite sports. That would 10 19 21 14 include more scholarships and cash awards. This apart, HK$100 million was allocated to 60 national 2010 2014 2018 Guangzhou Incheon Jakarta sports associations.

Research Office Data sources: Latest figures from Department of Health, Home Affairs Information Services Division Bureau, Hong Kong Sports Institute, Leisure and Cultural Services Legislative Council Secretariat Department, and World Health Organization. 17 April 2019 Tel: 2871 2139

------Statistical Highlights are compiled for Members and Committees of the Legislative Council. They are not legal or other professional advice and shall not be relied on as such. Statistical Highlights are subject to copyright owned by The Legislative Council Commission (The Commission). The Commission permits accurate reproduction of Statistical Highlights for non-commercial use in a manner not adversely affecting the Legislative Council, provided that acknowledgement is made stating the Research Office of the Legislative Council Secretariat as the source and one copy of the reproduction is sent to the Legislative Council Library. The paper number of this issue of Statistical Highlights is ISSH24/18-19. 2