HK's Sports Chief Respects OCA Decision over Players' Citizenship

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, September 28, 2002

HK's Sports Chief Respects OCA Decision over Players' Citizenship

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Hong Kong's sport chief Timothy Fok told reporters that his delegation would respect the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) decision which ruled out three Hong Kong players from participating in this Asian Games over a dispute on their citizenship.

"I did not expect an OCA decision came out so strict", said Fok, president of Hong Kong Olympic Committee, on his arrival with overone hundred athletes and officials from Hong Kong, China, on Friday. "But we will respect it once the verdict was made by OCA."

Three female table tennis players were barred from this Asian Games by a decision made at OCA meeting this afternoon in Busan. The decision cited OCA regulation as a base which said a minimum three years citizenship were strictly required for an athlete to represent his or her national Olympic Committee.

Three former top Chinese table tennis players Lin Ling, Tie Yana and Wang Rui were granted Hong Kong citizenship in February. They were reluctant to make any comment on this issue after being informed of the OCA decision up on their arrival at Athletes Village in Busan Friday.

This is Hong Kong's second Asian Games appearance since its return to China in 1997. Hong Kong boasted its debut under the name of Hong Kong, China, with best ever Asian Games performances of five gold, six silver and six bronze medals four years ago in Bangkok, Thailand.

The possible gold medal events for Hong Kong's largest ever delegation of 320 members include bicycle, snooker, bowling, windsurfing and wushu.

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