This year will be packed with sporting events, president of the Sports Bureau (ID) Pun Weng Kun said yesterday on the sidelines of a press conference for the launch of the World Table Tennis (WTT) Champions Macao 2021 China Stars.
When asked about the events, Pun said that the ID is not only preparing a series of local events this year, but also other events to which Macau will send delegations of local athletes, requiring preparation and involvement of the bureau.
In addition to the previously announced WTT and Macao International Regatta, events to be hosted by Macau include “a tennis event, a basketball event, the marathon and the [Macau] Grand Prix, as well as the Dragon Boat races and [Macao International] 10K run,” Pun detailed. The ID president hinted that others might take place later in the year if the Covid-19 situation allows.
Speaking of the government’s goal, set in 2020, to host one major sporting event per month in Macau, Pun indicated that this might not be achieved this year due to border entry restrictions related to pandemic control measures.
“For the time being, there will not be many new events,” Pun said, noting that most of the events planned for the year had already been hosted in previous years. “Many of those [new] events are already being hosted in other places outside Macau,” he said, remarking that “what is more important is that all people understand that the hosting of these events is safe [for the community] and contributes to the promotion of sports among the population as well as to the economy.”
As well as the big name sporting events, the ID will also organize a series of other activities for local people such as sports festivals and carnivals, and a cycling tour. The cycling tour and one other sports festival will be held next month as part of Chinese New Year celebrations.
Regarding the participation of local athletes in competitions outside of Macau, the highlight will be the 19th Asian Games, taking place in the Chinese city of Hangzhou, Zhejiang province from September 10 to 25.
When asked about the possibility of Macau hosting more Asia-level events, Pun said that this type would not depend exclusively on the wishes of local authorities. Rather, it would need long-term planning and negotiation with Asian and international sporting entities. “This is not just our decision. It needs collaboration between different entities. We will think about this but it is not a decision that we can make on our own,” he said.
