Speaking on an RTHK radio programme on Tuesday, Vincent Law said the retention announcement, made a day ago, comes as a relief to both athletes and coaches, as it allows them to focus on training.
However, he stressed that athletes would still face the pressure of having to perform well for the sport to retain the status in the next review, which will be held in two years’ time.
Law pointed out that billiard has been an elite sport since 2009.
“If we had dropped to Tier B this year, our funding would have been cut by about 80 percent,” he said.
“Therefore, if we just look at it from a funding standpoint, it would already have been a great loss.
“But a more severe blow would be the billiards’ sector having to quit the Sports Institute.
“There would no longer be a billiard sports department, meaning that our training facilities, coaches – as well as the support that players get, such as accommodation – would all go.”
Law also said the move to retain the sport’s status will allow the public to get to know more about billiards, and he believes more children will also try out the sport.
If there are more venues in the SAR that allow us to stage competitions, that will also help promote the sport, he added.
Meanwhile, the minimum monthly grant for full-time athletes will increase from HK$7,130 to HK$10,000.
Vincent Cheng, vice-chairman of the Hong Kong Sports Institute and a Sports Commission member, said he hopes the increment can offer more stable lifestyles for athletes.
Cheng, who’s also a DAB lawmaker, said the commission took reference from the salaries given to management trainees at various organisations before coming up with the figure.
