Hong Kong Weightlifting Association accused of withholding funding from members

Lifters Masahito Kitsui and Raymond Fong Chai-chi have publicly accused the Hong Kong Weightlifting and Powerlifting Association of withholding government funds intended for athletes, demanding over $120,000 in coaching fees and failing to develop the sport in any meaningful way, South China Morning Post reported.

Kitsui, 46, who is the former world number two powerlifter and the 2014 Asian Bench Press Championships gold medalist, said the Hong Kong Sports Institute has funding for elite athletes who are not supported under Tier A sports or the Individual Athletes Support Scheme.

This funding, instead of being transferred directly to athletes, is given to the association to distribute to athletes.

Kitsui was supported by the funding from 2014 to 2021 but claims the association withheld over $25,000 from him.

"It is no longer a matter of money. I would rather return to competitions and don't want any athletes to encounter such a situation again," Kitsui told The Standard.

Fong, 44, who holds seven Hong Kong weightlifting records and received support from 2019 to 2022, said the association forced him to pay over $120,000 in coaching fees.

The association denies withholding the funding, saying there is a conflict in Kitsui and Fong's accusations. According to the association, Kitsui and Fong were suspended in 2022 for misusing the funding.

Adrian Pedro Ho King-hong, a weightlifter and lawmaker, has called for the government to investigate the allegations.

"This association has messed it all up and it’s a living hell for weightlifters and powerlifters," Ho said, as cited by South China Morning Post.

"These are world-class athletes, and they are getting zero recognition because of this."

He criticized the federation's neglect of weightlifting as a sport, noting that there had been only one national championship in Hong Kong in 2019 and a second one announced for March 2024.

According to the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) rules, members must organize national championships annually.

Ho plans to write to the IWF about the current state of Hong Kong weightlifting, emphasizing the need for government and organizational action to address the situation.