Hong Kong Athletes Shine at 2024 Paris Paralympics with Record Medal Haul

CE congratulates Hong Kong, China Delegation on remarkable achievements at Paris Paralympics

As the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games draws to a close today (September 8, Paris time), the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, expressed his congratulations to the Hong Kong, China Delegation on its outstanding achievements, praising the athletes for giving their utmost in the competitions, and showcasing to the world the indomitable Hong Kong spirit and the extraordinary capabilities of Hong Kong athletes with disabilities.

Mr Lee said, "The Hong Kong, China Delegation captured three gold medals, four silver medals and one bronze medal in this year's Paralympic Games, achieving the best results since the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. With unparalleled resilience and determination, every athlete overcame numerous obstacles and persevered through rigorous training to eventually step onto the Paralympic stage and shine brilliantly. Regardless of the results, each of them is a warrior of life, and a hero and role model in the hearts of the people of Hong Kong, making us deeply proud.

"The members of the Hong Kong, China Delegation at this year's Paralympic Games included not only veteran athletes, but also rising stars participating in the Games for the first time. They demonstrated teamwork and supported each other on the field, showcasing exceptional skills and professionalism together, and achieving remarkable results time and again, a truly admirable feat. I express my gratitude to the coaches, medical personnel and support teams for their dedication and meticulous nurturing of the athletes. I also acknowledge the contributions of the Hong Kong Sports Institute, the China Hong Kong Paralympic Committee (HKPC) and various sports associations in promoting the development of the local Paralympic Movement over the years."

Mr Lee said that the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region fully supports the development of sports for persons with disabilities, noting that the estimated expenditure for the purpose amounts to over $130 million in the current financial year, representing a growth of over 40 per cent compared to that of five years ago. In June last year, the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, in collaboration with the HKPC, launched a pilot programme on career and education for athletes with disabilities to equip them with the skills and knowledge necessary for their post-athletic transformation and career development. More than 140 athletes with disabilities have participated in the programme so far.

C&WDO receives report of loss of hirer data by facility management services contractor of Sai Ying Pun Community Complex

The Central and Western District Office (C&WDO) received a report of the loss of hirer data by a facility management services contractor today (September 16).

The C&WDO has engaged a facility management services contractor, Synergis Facility Management Limited (the Contractor), to assist in managing the Sai Ying Pun Community Complex Community Hall (the Community Hall) and handling the booking applications for use of the Community Hall and its facility from September 2022 to August 2025.

The Contractor reported to the C&WDO this morning that a staff member of the Contractor, who is responsible for handling the booking applications for use of the Community Hall and its facility, had lost a portable device (USB) during work on September 14. The device contains the name of organisation, date and time of the event, name and contact number of the contact person for 306 applicants. The data involved does not include any identity card number or other personal identifiers.

Upon receiving the report, the C&WDO promptly requested and accompanied the Contractor to report the incident to the Police and reported the matter to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data this afternoon. The C&WDO is contacting all the affected applicants to offer apologies and explain the incident. Meanwhile, a hotline (2852 3735) has been set up for persons affected to make enquiries. The C&WDO has also immediately suspended the Contractor from handling the booking applications for use of the Community Hall and its facility. The Home Affairs Department (HAD) has also informed the Property Management Services Authority to take appropriate follow-up action as the Contractor has failed to handle personal data properly as a licensed property management company.

The C&WDO sincerely apologises to the persons affected for any inconvenience caused and will follow up seriously to prevent reoccurrence of similar incidents . The C&WDO strongly condemns the Contractor concerned for the incident and has required the Contractor to submit a detailed report and take all necessary measures to prevent further leakage of the data involved. The HAD will not allow the Contractor to bid any other projects of the HAD until it has taken satisfactory measures.

Source: AI-generated images