Praise for Irish Hong Kong community

THE support of the Irish community in Hong Kong was a huge encouragement to their Special Olympics officials to fight the Sars ban which threatened their involvement in the World Games in the opinion of the senior officers of their delegation.

The Irish Government's threat to impose a quarantine stipulation caused the Hong Kong officials to reduce their team of athletes by half, down to 22, but yesterday they rejoiced in their participation.

Said Laura Ling, Vice Chair of Special Olympics Hong Kong: "The Irish society in Hong Kong call themselves the St. Patrick Association.

"They have a big society there and they had a grand party to send us on our way and made us a presentation before we left Hong Kong."

She fought hard against the Irish Government's threatened ban and explained: "All of the community was supporting us even more because of the Government's ban.

"Even the EOC, which is the Equal Opportunity Committee in Hong Kong made their protests and objections on our behalf.

"They wrote to the Irish Government and so many people supported us, especially those in the Irish community in Hong Kong, they all wrote every day, they faxed here and e-mailed to the local people in Dublin and they were all supporting us and asking why ? why ?

"The Irish Government didn't say anything about Hong Kong people in general, Hong Kong people can travel freely in Ireland, in Dublin, and they can come for business. Why should the athletes be banned? What happened?"

In one instant, however, the charming Ms Ling dismissed the controversy with an eloquent wave of her arm.

"But now it is all over and I totally throw that away. That we came here is the most important thing, that I should make this happen, this participation in the Games, that is the major thing we had to do. Now we have and we are enjoying it very much."

There are 3,500 athletes registered with SO Hong Kong and they went through an exhaustive system of qualification to reduce that number down to 44 and then, finally, to 22 after the Sars scare. The welcome they have received has made it all worthwhile.

Ho Kin-fai Fay is National Director of SO Hong Kong and she explained: "The Special Olympics mean a lot to me because I am helping the athletes get involved in sport.

" I believe sports can bring up the children to their best potential that will help to achieve the mission of their integration to society."

Ms Fay was an elite athlete when she was an active competitor. She was dubbed "Queen of Rowing" in Hong Kong when she was Asian champion in the lightweight single sculls and she also won silver medals in theHiroshima Asian Games.

Both ladies spoke of the happy integration of the Hong Kong delegation into the community of their host town in Clonmel and stressed that relationships had been forged that would last.

Ms Laura Ling said: "We will bring our joy and happiness and the friendship from the Irish people away with us.

"The officials of our home town in Clonmel came last night, the whole committee, twelve persons, came to congratulate us and give us souvenirs and in return we gave souvenirs.

"We made many friends and I told our home town personnel 'don't worry, don't say sorry' because I know that the Irish people are peaceful, friendly and they are supporting us.

"We are not talking politics here, politics should not be in the sports, there are no boundaries in sport. We are all the same, we provide equal opportunity to our athletes.

"I will take with me happy memories of Ireland, the feeling that we are all members of a big family, memories of concern and love. I feel love and caring concern here.

"Everytime we compete in the Special Olympics I have a very warm feeling which I take back to my family and I've been to all the Special Olympics over the past 20 years."