Michael Shum
Former windsurfer Sam Wong Tak-sum has resigned as the city’s sports commissioner after taking office for just slightly over a year.
The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau said Wong requested for termination of his employment agreement on personal grounds. His resignation takes effect on September 20.
The bureau said it “would like to thank Mr Wong for his contribution toward promotion of sports policies and sports development … and wishes … that he would continue to contribute to the sector.”
It added that the bureau “will identify his successor according to established practice.”
Wong was appointed commissioner for sports on August 22 last year with a three-year term, succeeding former police officer Yeung Tak-keung, who was later appointed to head the National Games Coordination Office.
Wong was responsible for formulating sports policy and its relevant initiatives as well as promoting and implementing the government policy objectives of sports development.
That includes promoting sports for all, supporting elite sports, promoting Hong Kong as a center for major international sports events, enhancing professionalism in the sports sector, and promoting sports as an industry.
Wong took office with high hopes within the sector to boost the city’s sports development as he is the first sports commissioner with an athletic background.
He previously said his primary task would be ensuring the Kai Tak Sports Park’s completion, and improving the governance of the sports associations.
But it turns out Wong did not stay in the position long enough as Kai Tak Sports Park is slated to open next year.
People within the Hong Kong Sports Institute, who wished to remain unnamed, said: “He has been working as usual. There was nothing unusual. He also communicated with athletes. But Wong might have resigned as he could not adapt to the governmental structure.”
Another insider thinks it is because Wong “could not formulate sports policies from a macro perspective.”
Wong’s last public appearance was at the welcome home reception for the city’s delegation to the Paris Olympics.
Wong, who is married to Hong Kong’s first gold medalist in the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, Lee Lai-shan, became a full-time windsurfer at the Hong Kong Sports Institute in 1990.
He retired and became a Hong Kong windsurfing team coach in 2000.
michael.shum@singtaonewscorp.com
