The General History of Chinese Tourism Culture

A Historical Review of Elite Sport Development in Hong Kong

“…Ma summarized sport history in Hong Kong and divided it into two phases, namely prior to 1997 and after the handover in 1997. 10 His study provides a unique view that tracks the development of Hong Kong sports according to historical evolution, and analyzes the characteristics of sports development in Hong Kong with considerable historic details presented.…”

“…Prior to the 1900s, sports activities had been mainly organized by non-Chinese groups and participants were confined to foreigners such as military, businessmen and foreign government staff, eliminating the involvement of Chinese residents. 24 Possible explanations of the absence of Chinese resident participation lie in the fact that the Chinese population devoted itself to physical work throughout most of each day and week, that Chinese labourers had a very low social status, and that they had little interest in foreign sports. 25 But even if some local Chinese residents did show some interest in sport, they were largely excluded from sport clubs.…”

“…29 The Chinese Young Men's Christian Association (Chinese YMCA) of Hong Kong was created in 1901, aiming to promote sports activities to Chinese residents. 30 In 1907, The Chinese YMCA established its clubs covering sports such as tennis, cricket and swimming, which attracted many Chinese residents. As Zhao observes, the Chinese YMCA played a critical role in sport development in Hong Kong.…”

“…35 Although Hong Kong was a British colony, Hong Kong had been eligible to send athletes to compete in international sports events by being included in the Chinese delegation before the 1950s. 36 The Chinese Amateur Athletic Federation of Hong Kong was created in 1916, responsible for raising funds to support Hong Kong athletes' participation in national sports events and selecting competitive athletes to partake in the Far East Games. 37 According to Bridges, the Japanese invasion and the Second World War that spanned 1931 to 1945 naturally 'disrupted sporting activities and economic problems of dealing with an influx of refugees from China'.…”

“…39 Ma also noted that by the end of Japanese occupation in 1945 (during the period 1941-1945), sports development in Hong Kong had been paralyzed for a few years. 40 The impact of war, including social and economic crises, resulted in the crumbling economic and social conditions of Hong Kong.…”