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Shirley Chui

Not many people can claim to have a head of government’s digits in their phone contacts, but Marco Fu Ka-chun is one.
Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor has said she was alerted to a financial crisis for snooker when she received a text message about it from the city’s most famous player.
Cue sports face losing most of their public funding from next year, slashing support to players including three-time ranking event winner Fu and three-time women’s world champion Ng On-yee – a point made to Hong Kong’s leader when Fu contacted her personally.
“I received a text message from Marco Fu,” Lam said in a Facebook post that discussed funding of Hong Kong sports.

Fu was in quarantine at a hotel in Hong Kong after travelling to the UK to take part in the World Championship, in which he has twice been a semi-finalist. He bowed out in the qualifying stages, but has returned home to arguably a sterner test, with cue sports in danger of losing Tier A status under the Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI).
It hinges on whether they can gain readmission to the Asian Games in 2026. After last featuring in 2010, they will return in 2030 in Doha, but are not included, as yet, in the 2026 edition in Nagoya, Japan.
The rules state that, to avoid demotion to Tier B next April, a sport must have featured in, or expect to feature in, at least three Asian or Olympic Games between 2010 and 2030.
The Hong Kong Billiard Sports Control Council (HKBSCC) sent a letter on April 8 to the Home Affairs Bureau’s Sports Commission, copied to Lam, urging it to reconsider or extend until 2026 billiard sports’ Tier A status, held since 2009.
Fu, who had knowledge of the letter, followed up with a personal message to Lam to ensure she had received it. He and Lam have met a number of times, and one of Lam’s sons is a fan of Fu who has watched him play on many occasions in the UK.
“We are very grateful to Marco – it’s mainly because of Marco’s message that Carrie Lam found out about billiard sports,” said Vincent Law Wing-chung, the HKBSCC chairman. “We didn’t ask Marco to talk to her.”
Law said Lam had replied saying that she would speak to the bureau.
In the meantime, the HKBSCC is to campaign for inclusion in the Nagoya Games, including a “rescue coalition” on social media to appeal to cue sports aficionados across Asia.
Billiards and snooker were part of the Asian Games four times in a row from 1998 to 2010, with Fu leading Hong Kong’s haul of four gold, three silver and three bronze medals.
“I hope we get as much attention as possible,” Law said of the campaign. “If cue sports are downgraded to Tier B, we will lose 80 per cent of our funding, which amounts to millions of dollars, while players will lose 50 to 60 per cent of their training grants, in addition to training and logistical support.”

The HKSI’s 20 Tier A sports are entitled to financial support and use of the world-class facilities at its Fo Tan campus.
There are 39 funded players in cue sports, in elite and junior categories. Including Fu and Ng, 13 players receive elite monthly funding of HK$32,700 to HK$38,540 (US$4,000 to US$5,000). Demotion to Tier B would roughly halve this.
Law described Lam’s Facebook post, in which she said she hoped to see cue sports return to the Asian Games, as “a positive response as well as a hint to push us to act as quickly as feasible”.
“It’s an issue of urgency, like a tough fight on the baize,” he said. “We can’t control the outcome, but we’ll do everything we can to win this battle.”


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Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor

Texting Carrie Lam: how Marco Fu raised snooker’s multimillion-dollar question with Hong Kong leader

Carrie Lam posted a photo of herself with Marco Fu on Facebook as she discussed sports funding. Photo: Facebook

Chief Executive Carrie Lam (centre) meets Hong Kong’s leading snooker players Marcu Fu and Ng On-yee. Photo: Facebook

Marco Fu has returned to the professional tour after a two-year absence because of the pandemic. Photo: World Snooker Tour

Hong Kong snooker star Ng On-yee warns against ‘destructive decision’ with billiard sports facing fight to retain Tier A status and funding under threat

Snooker player Ng On -yee in the Winchester Open final. Photo: Handout

World No 2 snooker star Ng On-yee celebrates a tournament victory. Photo: WWS fb

Marco Fu Ka-chun is Hong Kong’s biggest male snooker star. Photo: World Snooker Tour.

Hong Kong Sports Institute head snooker coach Wayne Griffiths with three-time world champion Ng On-yee. Photo: Handout

Hong Kong Sports Institute delivers snooker ‘a huge blow’ as it cuts Tier A status and millions in funding and support

Ng On-yee, seen here at the Eden Women’s Masters in Brighton, has blazed a trail for the sport in Hong Kong. Photo: Handout

Ng On-yee won her trophy in the UK last week. Photo: Handout

The demotion from Tier A means pro players like Marco Fu Ka-chun will lose critical funding and support to compete around the globe. Photo: World Snooker Tour

Hong Kong’s Marco Fu warms up for World Snooker Championships with rare 149 break in practice match

Marco Fu potted a rare 149 during a practice match in Sheffield. Photo:  Ding Junhui Snooker Academy fb

Marco Fu has been practising on a daily basis at the Ding Junhui Snooker Academy in Sheffield. Photo: Facebook

Ng On-yee recently passed her Level 1 WPBSA snooker coach qualification in the UK. Photo: Ng On-yee

Sport

Hong Kong

Other Sport


Quarantined ace opts for a direct approach to grab the attention of the city’s chief executive, who acknowledges Fu’s message in Facebook post
Cue sports could lose 80 per cent of their funding from 2023, with grants to players halved, governing body says



Quarantined cue ace opts for a direct approach to grab the attention of the Hong Kong chief executive, who acknowledges Fu’s message in Facebook post.


Marco Fu

World Snooker

Hong Kong Sports Institute