The Award Presentation on IOC Trophy cum Hong Kong Athletes Career & Education Programme (HKACEP) and Sports Legacy Scheme (SLS) Appreciation Ceremony 2017 was successfully held on 5 September 2017 at the Harbour Grand Hong Kong. Officiating guests at the ceremony included Mr. Timothy T. T. FOK, GBS, JP, President of the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China (SF&OC), The Honourable Mr. LAU Kong Wah, JP, Secretary for Home Affairs, other distinguished guests, athletes and mass media representatives.
At today’s presentation ceremony, Mr. Timothy FOK GBS, JP, President of SF&OC conferred the IOC Trophy to the MTR Corporation Limited (MTR), the only IOC Trophy awardee recipient in East Asia Region#. In this year, it is the first time that the IOC Trophy was awarded to an organization instead of individuals. A total of 14 IOC Trophies under the theme “Sport beyond borders” were sent to NOCs globally in order to honour those contributors who have used sport as a mean to bring positive social impact or to challenge discrimination. With the mission to facilitate athletes’ career transformation after athletic retirement, the HKACEP (under the auspices of SF&OC) and MTR co-organized the “Life Skills Training Programme” since 2013 that aims to help athletes to go beyond the borders of sports fields and equip them to successfully transforming into the mainstream working field. The Programme offers comprehensive and holistic interventions to equip athletes with essential knowledge and skills as well as to provide professional support for athletes’ integration into the job market. In May this year, the SF&OC and MTR also jointly received the 2016 Association for Talent Development (ATD) Excellence in Practice Honorable Mention Citation Award in regards to the collaboration of the “Life Skills Training Programme” in Atlanta, Georgia, US.
During the ceremony, the Federation officially introduced that renowned retired cyclist, Mr. WONG Kam Po, joined the Sports Legacy Scheme as Programme Development Executive started from 1st September 2017. WONG expressed at the event that he will lead the Sports Legacy Scheme coaching team to promote sports to the community and under-privileged students. The SF&OC also appreciated the continuous support from the sponsors, strategic partners, organizations and employers to the HKACEP and the SLS. In this connection, the “SLS Excellent Awards For Strategic Partnership” were presented to Chow Tai Fook Charity Foundation, Lee Hysan Foundation and Sports For Hope Foundation; the “HKACEP Excellent Awards For Education and Development” were presented to Adecco Personnel Limited, EF Englishtown, Hong Kong Police Force (Elite Athletes Strategic Engagement Scheme) and Ryoden Development Ltd.; the “HKACEP Excellent Award For Partnership” was presented to FILA; the “HKACEP Excellent Awards For Supportive Employer” were presented to Cable TV Ltd., DHL Express (HK) Ltd., MTR Corporation Ltd. and New World Development Company Ltd.; the “HKACEP Merit Awards For Supportive Employer” were presented to over 15 supportive employers (see Annex – List of Awardees), in order to recognise for their staunch support to HKACEP & SLS throughout the years.
Mr. Timothy FOK GBS, JP, President of SF&OC congratulated MTR for being awarded the IOC Trophy, which is a distinctive recognition to the “Life Skills Training Programme” jointly offered by MTR and HKACEP. Mr. FOK also thanked the staunch support from different HKSAR Government departments, sponsors, partners, corporates and education institutes for enabling athletes to continue to contribute to the society and develop their second career after their athletic retirement through HKACEP and helping under-privileged students and retired or retiring athlete coaches to pursue their dreams through SLS.
About Hong Kong Athletes Career and Education Programme (HKACEP)
HKACEP, under the auspices of the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China and subvented by Home Affairs Bureau of HKSAR Government was established since 2008, has been providing career, education and life skills supports to retired and retiring athletes. The programme has been providing various supports to over 1,100 athletes from 45 National Sports Associations since its launching.
About Sports Legacy Scheme (SLS)
The Sports Legacy Scheme was first launched in 2012, to help both student and elite athletes who either are planning to retire or have retired to pursue their dreams in sports. Participating athletes of this scheme will become Athlete Coaches to provide sports specific training to under-privileged students, through teaching and spreading the positive values of sports and the spirit of Olympism, they will identify students’ sports talents, and guide students’ discipline and character building. The Scheme has been supporting over 14 schools with over 4,300 under-privileged students since 2012.
Issued by:
The Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China
Office of Hong Kong Athletes Career and Education Programme
Note: # as of 11 August, 2017
