Hong Kong Squash Open set to return with hotel quarantine scrapped – but government is yet to give final approval
- Organisers are confident of attracting star names to November event after three years of cancellations
- Final details of Covid-19 restrictions still to be agreed, including training arrangements
The Hong Kong Squash Open is set to return to the city in November after a three-year absence, after the scrapping of hotel quarantine for overseas visitors.
Emily Mak, the executive director of Hong Kong Squash said they would open entry for the US$329,000 tournament – a platinum event on the world circuit – this week after sorting out some final details with the government regarding Covid-19 restrictions.
“There is no need for hotel quarantine for overseas visitors under the government’s new health arrangements and it helps us a lot on the logistics,” Mak said.
“We have already informed the world governing body about the new measures and they will seek the views of the players, if they will attend the tournament. I don’t think any player would like to go through isolation and this should be good news to the players.”
But even without hotel quarantine, the organisers still need to get approval from the government regarding the safety requirements.
“Under the new rules, players still need to do medical surveillance for three days after their arrival, and during that period they are subject to amber code restrictions which mean they cannot visit any sports premises,” Mak said.
