Hong Kong Rugby Sevens decision looms in test of city’s revival

THE fate of this year’s Hong Kong Rugby Sevens will be decided in weeks as organisers await government approval to host the iconic event for the first time since the pandemic began. If clearance doesn’t come soon, the tournament, already rescheduled to November, will likely be cancelled again.

“It’s not a slam dunk, but the government is definitely trying to help us with a pathway to allow us to put the event on in November,” Hong Kong Rugby Union (HKRU) chief executive officer Robbie McRobbie said in an interview Wednesday (Jun 8). “We really need to be in a position by the end of this month, early July, if we’re going to go, we have to push the button.”

Authorities are considering the safety and logistics of a sports tournament that is renowned for its raucous party atmosphere and capable of attracting tens of thousands of fans. Prior to Covid, it was a highlight of Asia’s sporting calendar. Allowing such an event to proceed would be a test of Hong Kong’s commitment to reopening and reestablishing itself as a vibrant international hub after the disruptions of the pandemic and the anti-government protests of 2019. 

There is a desire to “demonstrate that Hong Kong is still open for business” and to get back to hosting conferences, cultural and sports events “that we’ve built up such a strong reputation for”, McRobbie said. 

Sevens is a fast-moving, scaled-down version of rugby, and the 3-day Hong Kong tournament is a jewel in its crown. Fiji won the last in 2019, and many more in the years before. People from around the world typically flock to the city for the Sevens, usually held in March or April, boosting the economy as hotels, restaurants and bars fill with tourists.

Covid halted that in 2020, when the event was cancelled for the first time since it began in 1976. Efforts to reschedule failed, and 2021 was also written off because of Hong Kong’s zero-tolerance approach to the virus, and ongoing quarantine and border curbs. 

If this year’s Sevens tournament goes ahead in 5 months’ time, it would likely be under much tighter conditions than past events. Hong Kong is still only slowly feeling its way out of the pandemic, gingerly easing some social-distancing rules. A major summit for foreign bankers and investors is also said to be planned to run alongside the Nov 4-6 rugby tournament. 

Government’s position

Still, virus cases are rising again as internal restrictions are loosened, casting renewed doubt over the city’s emergence from the Covid crisis. Authorities are also concerned about new sub-strains of the Omicron variant, with infected people now sent into government isolation camps rather than allowed to home quarantine, a move condemned by business groups. 

SEE ALSO

Hong Kong resists new virus curbs despite talk of Xi visit

Hong Kong sees strong rebound as PMI surges to decade high

Outgoing Chief Executive Carrie Lam, however, has said rules won’t be changed before Jun 30 and official celebrations to mark the 25-year anniversary of the handover from Britain to China.

A government spokesperson said Hong Kong’s Home Affairs Bureau has been liaising closely with the rugby union body about the Sevens and would advise on the outcome “in due course”.

“As the event will involve large numbers of overseas participants, including players, team officials and match officials, and about 100,000 spectators on the spot for the 3-day tournament, government departments concerned are reviewing the proposed infection prevention and control measures and logistical arrangements,” the spokesperson said. 

Attendance caps

If this year’s event goes ahead, there probably won’t be many spectators from overseas as Hong Kong still mandates at least 7 days of hotel quarantine on arrival, a likely deterrent for anyone wanting to come just for the tournament. Also, virus concerns mean the stadium is unlikely to be as awash with beer and hard-partying fans as usual, with potential restrictions on attendee numbers and services.

“We don’t anticipate a large number of overseas visitors,” McRobbie said. “We have to plan for the current prevailing situation as if we were holding this event next week. If we can hold the event under the current restrictions, any other relaxation between now and November will be a bonus.”

For the players and officials, a Beijing Winter Olympics-style closed-loop system is being prepared to keep them apart from the general public, according to McRobbie. They would be kept in a bubble, shuttled between hotels, the stadium and training facilities without coming into contact with ordinary Hong Kongers. Similar systems have been used in mainland China to get factories back up and running during the recent Shanghai lockdown.

Arranging closed loops would be costly for the HKRU, which had to make half of its staff redundant during the pandemic, McRobbie said.  

“It will come down to the feasibility and affordability,” he said. “Whether we can actually implement it.”

Before Covid, the Sevens accounted for 95 per cent of the HKRU’s revenue, according to McRobbie. 

Should the event take place in November, the Hong Kong tournament will kick off the 2023 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, which spans 11 rounds in places including Dubai, Cape Town, Sydney, Los Angeles and London. Hong Kong is also set to make a second appearance in the series, with its 2023 Sevens down for Mar 31 to April 2. BLOOMBERG