Hong Kong basketball chief blames insurance industry for lack of medical coverage, as players risk hefty bills
- Basketball Association chairman Norman Chan says he is trying to find better coverage for the city’s players
- Hong Kong have Asia Cup games against the Philippines and New Zealand this month, but face fielding a weakened team
Hong Kong basketball’s chief has said the city’s players are stuck with inadequate medical insurance, claiming no company was able to provide the comprehensive coverage needed.
Several players have been left with hefty bills running into tens of thousands of dollars after being injured while on international duty overseas, because the insurance selected by the Basketball Association of Hong Kong did not provide enough support financially.
And with Asia Cup qualifiers coming up this month, Hong Kong’s coaches are in danger of having to field a weakened team because eight of the Asian Games squad are unavailable.
Norman Chan Shui-tim, the association’s chairman, said he wanted to provide better insurance, “but the fact is, there is none available”.
Dah Sing Insurance, which has been the association’s insurance provider since 2015, said it would be “glad” to meet customers’ needs, but the association had not made a request to update its coverage, which presently caps any individual claim at HK$10,000.
Government officials at the Leisure and Cultural Services Department said the association was still in the process of seeking a new policy, more than two months after the Post revealed injured players had been left paying for treatment.
