Opinion | Hong Kong needs to earn world’s trust, and return of the Sevens is a great place to start
- A cherished heirloom with global cachet can play a pivotal role in both perception and future prosperity – but only if authorities allow it to
- City’s leaders could do worse than observe the returning tournament for pointers on regaining respect
In its purest form, the Hong Kong Sevens is only a rugby tournament. They keep score and winning teams advance until one is crowned champion.
But the truth is that the Hong Kong Sevens is a rugby tournament in the same way that the Super Bowl is a football game. They are multi-integrated events that transcend their sport, and in the case of Hong Kong often transcend the city itself.
It is the single most important annual sporting event held here simply because of the impact and recognition it has fostered globally. Most importantly, it is an event whose festive and inclusive spirit sells Hong Kong to the world.
Finally, after a three-year hiatus it’s back, with a number of daunting caveats and controls that are a legal necessity to satiate some of the most illogical Covid protocols globally.
They are controls that could compromise the free flowing spirit of the event and which the organisers, the Hong Kong Rugby Union, will desperately wish never existed.
The 2022 Sevens may not hearken back to the wild, halcyon days of yore. But it is what it is and the fact that the event is taking place at all is a testament to Hong Kong’s special quality – its resilience.
