Suspension proceedings for ice hockey body under way
The Sports Federation & Olympic Committee (SF&OC) says it's initiated suspension proceedings against the Hong Kong Ice Hockey Association (HKIHA) over a recent anthem blunder. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the SF&OC said the HKIHA has been given one month to submit a full explanation of why it failed to follow guidelines on the playing of the anthem at a tournament in Bosnia in February, and to put forward proposals to enhance governance. The government said it supports the move by the SF&OC and will consider reducing subsidies in the event of a suspension. It stressed any funding cuts will be made under the premise of not affecting athletes. The SF&OC added that reviewing the HKIHA's governance will not affect the training and competitions of athletes. The SF&OC said the executive committee of the HKIHA "lacked internal communication and clear division of roles", which led to its failure to act with "the appropriate due diligence and integrity expected". The SF&OC also said the group hadn’t responded positively to its request for a meeting after the incident. "Such unwillingness and evasiveness reflect the failings of HKIHA's leadership to communicate and cooperate with SF&OC, as well as its placing insufficient importance to the misplay of the national anthem and to uphold the dignity of the country," the statement read.