Hong Kong Sevens returns to roars of approval, in key test of city’s readiness to reopen after years of Covid restrictions
- Showpiece international sporting event welcomed by a city eager to restore its reputation
- Fireworks on and off the pitch as Hong Kong team close out opening day with clash against Australia
Hong Kong’s showpiece international sporting event, the rugby Sevens, kicked off to the loud approval of thousands of revellers on Friday in what is being seen as a key test of the city’s readiness to reopen to the rest of the world after three years of crippling pandemic restrictions.
Remaining Covid-19 rules, such as mandatory mask-wearing in public, were still in place as crowds flocked to the Hong Kong Stadium for a boisterous celebration into the weekend, welcomed by a city eager to restore its reputation as a vibrant hub of business and tourism.
The government’s decision to scrap mandatory hotel quarantine for arrivals helped bring in an international crowd for the sporting jamboree, as well as financial heavyweights, who attended a major international summit that ended on Thursday.
One of the first few people arriving at the venue was 48-year-old Carla Yee with her husband and two sons.
“We are really excited, we pulled [our sons] out of school for the day just to go,” Yee’s husband, who did not want to be named, said.
But not all fans that turned out for the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens were pleased. A group of South Africans expressed shock over learning they had to undergo three days of medical surveillance, which means they will not be able to watch the action in person until Sunday.
“We didn’t know there are three days of medical surveillance,” Reiner Du Plessis, 38, said. “They could make the travellers more aware – we had absolutely no idea.”
