Hong Kong lawmaker Kenneth Fok wants snooker to retain ‘Tier A’ status, changes to format
Billiard sports face losing their place as a top-tier sport, which would see their funding cut by 80 per cent
Lawmaker Kenneth Fok Kai-kong has backed snooker to retain its ‘Tier A’ status and suggested the authorities should relax the city’s elite sports subsidy system.
The Elite Vote Support Scheme (EVSS) was modified at the end of the 2022-23 financial year, so for a sport to be classified as ‘Tier A’, the “Sports competed [or] will compete in at least three editions in the past four and coming two editions of the Olympic Games or Asian Games”, according to a Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI) spokesperson.
The spokesperson added that “it required at least three editions of Olympic Games or Asian Games since 1997” before the prerequisite was introduced.
Despite scoring the required 10 points under the general EVSS structure consistently, billiard sports is staring at a demotion to the lower tier, which would see subsidy drastically reduced by 80 per cent in April, for not meeting the criterion of inclusion in three Olympic or Asian Games between 2010 and 2030.
“I believe there is room for adjustments in terms of the timeline as well as the number of major Games required,” Fok said. “I don’t think it is that difficult a change.
“Major Games are important, as are other international tournaments like the world championships. The results are the goals.
