【明報專訊】A festive atmosphere pervaded our city four years ago today as the Hong Kong football team triumphed over Japan in a nerve-racking East Asia Games (東亞運動會) final, giving Hong Kong its previously unimaginable first gold at a multi-sports event.
1. The Games
Organised by the East Asian Games Association (EAGA), the East Asia Games have been held every four years since 1993. In 2003 Hong Kong's bid to host the 2009 Games succeeded. The next year the government set up a committee for organising the event.
Hong Kong people were not particularly enthusiastic at first however, as the preparations appeared messy and there were not enough venues (場地). At one point the Japanese football team had to train on a tiny basketball court in Wan Chai. The torch relay (火炬傳送) nearly became a joke when it emerged that a TVB (無綫電視) studio had been chosen as its end point, which subsequently had to be relocated to Golden Bauhinia Square (金紫荊廣場).
2. The final
Passion for the game picked up as the Hong Kong football team, made up of local stars like Chan Siu-ki (陳肇麒), Lee Chi-ho (李志豪) and Chan Wai-ho (陳偉豪), set out on their wonderful journey. Having finished the group stage at the top of the table, it went on to beat North Korea (朝鮮) in the knock-out stage, and faced Japan, the leading country in Asian football, in the final.
The match took place on 12 December 2009. Hong Kong lagged behind in the 22nd minute, when Japanese defender Taisuke Muramatsu (村松大輔) scored the opening goal.
The magic moment came minutes after the break. Chan Siu-ki, who had been in London for a training session with English Premiership club Tottenham Hotspur (英超球隊熱刺) before he flown home first-class on a ticket paid for by the owner of his club, came off the bench and headed home the equalizer in the 47th minute, sending the fans into a state of euphoria (狂喜).
No side found the net again, and the game went into extra time, which also ended with no goals. The penalty shootout followed. Team captain Au Yeung Yiu-chung's (歐陽耀冲) shot was saved, but his mistake was made up for by his teammates. The other four Hong Kong penalty takers all scored. Japan, on the other hand, missed two penalties, ensuring Hong Kong its well-deserved victory. History was made.
3. Later events
The optimism from the dramatic night didn't last long, and more problems were exposed after the Games had ended. In 2011 the Audit Commission (審計署) published a report laying bare the huge cost overrun of the event. The government had estimated that the games would cost around $240 million, but the bill ultimately came to over $420 million.
In September 2010 the government announced its bid for the 2023 Asian Games (亞運), estimating the total expenditure at $44.6 billion. It soon met with grave objections. Citizens condemned the proposal as a ''white elephant'' (大白象), while commentators argued that the city's hosting of the 2009 East Asian Games already showed its limitations. The government eventually scrapped the plan as even pro-establishment parties such as the DAB (民建聯) were opposed to it.
◆Think & Study
Do you think hosting events like the Asian Games is a good way to promote sports? Substantiate your arguments with examples.
