Game on: how post-pandemic Hong Kong is reinventing sports

The Social Transformations in Chinese Societies (STICS), an interdisciplinary journal providing a platform for research on contemporary China and Chinese communities globally, to publish a special issue in April 2025 focusing on sports development in post-pandemic Hong Kong. Two FLASS scholars Dr Lawrence Ho Ka-ki from the Department of Social Sciences and Policy Studies (SSPS) and Dr Gary Chow Chi-ching from the Department of Health and Physical Education (HPE) oversaw the editorial content and online publication work of the special issue.

For several years, Dr Lawrence Ho and Dr Gary Chow have collaborated on interdisciplinary sports studies and co-developed courses for bachelor’s programmes within HPE and SSPS. In 2023, they jointly proposed the idea of a special issue to Professor Tai-lok Lui, former Chief Editor of STICS and Adjunct Research Chair Professor at EdUHK. They were subsequently invited by STICS to serve as guest editors for the special issue, overseeing the overall content structure and the call for papers.

Titled “Sociology of sports in Hong Kong after COVID-19: individual behavior, organizational dynamics and business opportunities”, the special issue (STICS, Volume 21: Issue 1) comprises seven articles that draw on the latest academic research in sociology of sports to analyse how the public health crisis has transformed sports in Hong Kong. “As a thematic study on the sociology of sports in Hong Kong, the special issue investigated how the sports industry was impacted by COVID-19 and how it has evolved since the end of the pandemic,” explained Dr Lawrence Ho.

The special issue is organised around three major sub-themes: the effects of the pandemic on the mindsets and behaviours of sports spectators and professional athletes; the impact on the institutional and operational dynamics of sporting organisations and the evolving business landscape of the sports industry as a result of COVID-19.

Two frontline practitioners, Dr Kevin Kam Wai-keung and Mr Li Tak-nang, discuss changes in physical education (PE) and the sports industry following COVID-19. Mr Yeung T-Fai and Mr Chow Yat-tung’s article focuses on media analysis related to horse racing. Other contributions include Ms Kylie Lui Chiu-yee’s analysis of a Chinese martial arts outreach programme, Dr Gary Chow and Mr Kong Yu-hin’s joint research on children’s sports practices, Dr Tobias Zuser’s studies on sports sustainability, and Dr Andy Chiu’s empirical findings on Esports. The discussions in these articles centre on the societal impacts of public health policies introduced in response to COVID-19.

Globally, COVID-19 has significantly altered individuals’ perceptions of work, work-life balance, and health, as well as their engagement in sports activities. “Similar developments occurred in Hong Kong. In May 2023, Hong Kong began lifting many of its COVID-19 restrictions. That year, we observed the realignment of sports associations under the new ‘normal’ in the city, alongside a rapid increase in sports participants eager to strengthen themselves after the health scare,” noted guest editor Dr Gary Chow Chi-ching.

Mr Li Tak-nang, a sports industry professional who has collaborated with Dr Ho and Dr Chow for many years on different PE and community projects, examines how the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted Hong Kong’s sports ecosystem, highlighting the financial instability faced by professional sports such as football during the pandemic. The article discusses the economic challenges encountered by sports coaches and the shift in media consumption from pay television to streaming services and free-to-air broadcasts. Li argues that, despite these challenges, the gradual resumption of major international events and the opening of the Kai Tak Sports Park will revitalise the sector.

Dr Kevin Kam Wai-keung from HPE contributed an article reflecting on the experiences of PE teachers in Hong Kong in the post-pandemic era. His article highlights the rapid transition to online physical education during the pandemic and emphasises the need for more flexible, inclusive and innovative approaches to PE in today’s Hong Kong. He advocates for hybrid models of PE that blend in-person and virtual learning, with a curriculum that stresses the importance of mental health, nutrition education and social-emotional learning.

Mr Yeung T-Fai and Mr Chow Yat-tung’s article investigates the shift in perceptions among Hong Kong horse racing fans towards local horse racing media during the pandemic. Their research indicates that, when seeking information about horse racing, younger fans prefer internet media due to its broader gratifications and competitive advantages, while older fans favour print media for its perceived accuracy and accessibility. Interestingly, the pandemic did not significantly alter these media consumption patterns.

Dr Tobias Zuser from the School of Journalism and Communication at the Chinese University of Hong Kong analyses how Kai Tak Sports Park can balance its development between meeting local sports needs and becoming a regional sports hub. His paper highlights the challenges of providing adequate sporting infrastructure and ensuring the economic sustainability of the sports industry through a public-private partnership model as exemplified by the Kai Tak Sports Park. Dr Zuser, a long-time guest lecturer at SSPS, emphasises the need for community integration and alignment with local sports culture in achieving sports sustainability.

Mr Kong Yu-hin, a PhD student in HPE, and Dr Gary Chow Chi-ching conducted a systematic review examining the decline in physical activity among children and adolescents in Chinese societies during the pandemic and its impact on foundational movement skills (FoMS). The review identifies significant variations in the effects on different fitness indicators and calls for standardised test protocols and more comprehensive research to fully understand these effects.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a marked decline in the physical and social well-being of schoolchildren. Ms Kylie Lui Chiu-yee, a PhD student at the University of Hong Kong, explores how a Chinese martial arts outreach programme launched towards the end of the pandemic addressed these challenges through martial arts instruction and the teaching of traditional Chinese values. Her article evaluates the balance between physical and political education in such programmes, assesses the long-term effects of practising martial arts on students’ physical and mental health, and examines how similar programmes are received and function in different socio-political contexts.

Dr Andy Chiu from SSPS conducted a content analysis of local media’s framing of Esports development in Hong Kong during the pandemic. He finds that Esports are often described as an industry rather than a popular sport, which may have hindered its social recognition and further development in the city.

The seven articles in the special issue illuminate the multifaceted impacts of COVID-19 on Hong Kong’s sports and education sectors. They underscore the importance of innovative and inclusive approaches that integrate technology with holistic health and community engagement in the recovery process. Furthermore, they highlight opportunities for further research into the long-term effectiveness of these approaches and the broader sociopolitical implications of integrating education with national values.

“Sociological research plays a crucial role in advancing society by helping us understand the complex interactions between politics, identity and culture. This understanding can lead to more effective policy formulation to promote social cohesion and well-being. The special issue goes beyond merely documenting a unique sports system. By studying sports through the lens of politics, identity and culture, it paints a three-dimensional picture of Hong Kong in a time of crisis. We hope this special issue not only lays the foundation for interdisciplinary studies on sporting issues but also inspires and enables further research in postcolonial Asia,” said Dr Lawrence Ho Ka-ki.