HKFA to face penalty if fans continue booing China anthem

Fans cover their faces and boo the Chinese national anthem before the friendly match against Bahrain

The Hong Kong Football Association (HKFA) may face disciplinary action from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) – which represents football authority FIFA in Asia – if Hong Kong fans continue to disrespect the playing of China’s national anthem.

As the Times reported, disrespect was again shown ahead of last Thursday evening’s friendly match with Bahrain in Mong Kok Stadium.  On Tuesday evening, the Hong Kong side will meet Lebanon in another Group B qualifying match for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.

According to sports website ESPN FC, the AFC has already issued a warning to the HKFA and will impose sanctions if disgruntled football fans continue to disrespect the law.

According to the same source, no action was taken by the AFC as a result of the Thursday match “as [the match] was not part of an official competition,” but the regional body issued a warning last month after fans voiced their discontent at the anthem being played before their AFC Asian Cup qualifying win over Malaysia. 
The same source said the Thursday match was attended by some plainclothes police officers, information of which HKFA said it was not aware.

“We were not informed about [police] action,” HKFA chairman Brian Leung told the South China Morning Post, adding that he expects the situation to come under control.

“We did not hear too much of booing when the national anthem was played [this time] and we do hope the fans continue to come to support the Hong Kong team. This should be their primary objective,” Leung said.

Following the Occupy Central events, several groups discontent with the return of Hong Kong to Chinese rule in July 1997, have used sports events, mostly football, to voice their dissatisfaction with how the central government in Beijing is interfering with the governance of the two Special Administrative Regions, the second of which is Macau.

The Hong Kong football association fears that the Hong Kong team, which plays in FIFA and AFC competitions, will be hit with sanctions despite having been granted sporting autonomy for 50 years following the handover.

The team is currently attempting to qualify for the AFC Asian Cup finals, which has not happened since 1968.

Hong Kong currently occupies third place in the four-team group with five points in four matches, the same number of points as North Korea (in second). Lebanon leads the group with 10 points in four matches and has already been granted qualification to the finals.