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Hong Kong politics
Hong KongPolitics

National anthem blunder: ice hockey association points finger at Hong Kong sports federation for providing problematic download link

  • Association’s statement does not explain why team leader did not give hard copy of anthem to organisers
  • Team leader plans to elaborate when she returns to Hong Kong after competing in another tournament in South Africa

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Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Bosnia and Herzegovina Ji Ping meets Hong Kong’s ice hockey players and team leader Annie Kwan. Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China
Kahon Chan

Hong Kong’s ice hockey association has blamed the city’s sports federation for providing a problematic hyperlink to download the country’s national anthem, with the accusation coming to light amid the prospect of sanctions over the latest blunder last month.

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The association broke its silence on Monday by releasing a statement signed by Annie Kwan Yuen-yee, leader of the Hong Kong team that took part in the 2023 Ice Hockey World Championship Division III. But it did not address why the tournament organiser was not given a hard copy of “March of the Volunteers”.
The latest mix-up occurred on February 28, after the Hong Kong team beat Iran at the tournament held in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Instead of the national anthem, a song linked to the anti-government protests in 2019 was played.
Hong Kong’s hockey players react as a protest song is played instead of the anthem. Photo: Handout
Hong Kong’s hockey players react as a protest song is played instead of the anthem. Photo: Handout

The ceremony was halted after Hong Kong’s athletes made a “T” shape with their hands. The correct anthem was played later.

Preliminary findings issued last Friday by the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China found the ice hockey association had failed to clarify whether a hard copy of the national anthem was passed to the organisers.

Kwan, who is also the association’s general secretary, said her organisation had emailed links to the national anthem, flags and related laws to the International Ice Hockey Federation in December.

Image of a WhatsApp conversation included in Annie Kwan’s statement, which she says shows the team had asked to listen to the anthem with organisers before the tournament. Photo: SCMP
Image of a WhatsApp conversation included in Annie Kwan’s statement, which she says shows the team had asked to listen to the anthem with organisers before the tournament. Photo: SCMP

The email was also forwarded to organisers in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which a local staff member “confirmed” upon the team’s arrival in the host country on February 25 in a WhatsApp message.

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