Hong Kong Sevens week setback as rugby Tens cancelled amid ongoing protests
- The famous rugby tournament serves as a curtain-raiser for the Sevens and attracts future and former stars from around the world
- Organisers say they had difficulties in attracting and securing firm commitments from enough overseas teams of sufficient quality
The 2020 Hong Kong Football Club Tens has been cancelled as the city continues to be gripped by political uncertainty. The 10-a-side rugby tournament serves as a curtain-raiser for the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens and was to take place on April 1-2.
Hong Kong has been rocked by months of protests. What started as opposition to an extradition bill, which would have seen fugitives extradited to a number of countries, including mainland China, has spiralled into a wider anti-government movement.
Radicals have armed themselves with petrol bombs and taken on riot police in numerous clashes. A landslide victory in district council elections for the pro-democracy camp acted as a release valve to an extent, but the protests have continued.
New Hong Kong Rugby Union chairman Patrick Donovan said in October the city’s iconic Hong Kong Sevens tournament (April 3-5) will go ahead despite the social and political turmoil that is now heading into its seventh month.
