Omicron: frustrated tennis officials ask government ‘what is the end-game?’ as courts remain closed, coaches lose income amid fifth wave of coronavirus infections
- Hong Kong Tennis Association chief Philip Mok says Hong Kong’s anti-coronavirus strategy is not working and sport is being singled out while malls are still full
- Former player Andy Brothers says the majority is being punished by a minority who refuse to be vaccinated
Hong Kong tennis chief Philip Mok Kwan-yat has urged the government to clarify its Covid-19 strategy “end-game” with public courts closed and coaches losing their livelihood yet people still crowding malls, restaurants and buses.
Mok, president of the Hong Kong Tennis Association, said the latest restrictions to combat the city’s biggest surge in coronavirus cases is not working and the sports industry suffers.
With new rules allowing no more than two people to gather together in public, Mok said outdoor sports that can comply with the regulations, such as tennis, should be allowed to reopen.
“The strategy is not working,” said Mok. “You go down to any park or public area, and you see people gathering, coaches are being innovative and conducting classes in open areas.
“Even with the two-person rule, restaurants and malls are full of people. Yet you can’t have two people on a tennis court. It seems the government strategy is to wait until everyone is vaccinated before opening up. But it’s not working. What is their end-game?”
