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The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government on Saturday expressed its opposition and strong dissatisfaction toward an incident in Dubai, where a song linked with Hong Kong's violent unrest in 2019 was wrongly played in the place of the Chinese national anthem after an athlete from the HKSAR claimed a gold medal.

The incident took place at the Asian Classic Powerlifting Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, as weight lifter Susanna Lin won a gold medal and stepped onto the podium.

Instead of playing the Chinese national anthem, a song associated with social turmoil in Hong Kong in 2019 was played, until the athlete made a T-sign gesture to stop the song after about 15 seconds before organizers changed the music into the right one, Hong Kong media reported on Saturday.

The Hong Kong authorities acknowledged the move of the Hong Kong athlete in upholding the dignity of the country.

A spokesperson for the HKSAR government stressed Saturday that they attach great importance to the incident and has requested the Hong Kong Sports Federation and Olympic Committee (SF&OC) to submit an investigation report as soon as possible to seriously follow up on the incident.

According to a preliminary report, Hong Kong athletes and team management followed guidelines issued by the SF&OC and responded immediately to the ceremony, prompting the organizers to stop proceedings to make necessary corrections, the spokesperson said.

This incident followed another erroneous display of the Chinese National Anthem for Hong Kong athletes at an international sports event last month. In November, World Rugby apologized to the Hong Kong Rugby Union (HKRU) for an error which appeared on the television broadcast of a match between the Hong Kong SAR and Portuguese teams at the Final Qualification Tournament for Rugby World Cup 2023, when an incorrect graphics caption was used when the Chinese National Anthem was played prior to the game.

The SF&OC on November 22 issued guidelines to all sports associations in the SAR for handling the broadcasting of national anthem and the hoisting of SAR flag during the participation of Hong Kong teams in international sports events.

It said that if an error occurs in such circumstances, athletes and team officials shall signify their objection with a T-sign gesture; if the organizer does not correct it immediately, the team leader shall lead all players in leaving the field.

Global Times