Hong Kong Athletes Achieve Historic Success at National Games for Persons with Disabilities and Special Olympics

CE commends Hong Kong, China athletes for outstanding performance in 12th NGD and 9th NSOG

The 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities (NGD) and the 9th National Special Olympic Games (NSOG) conclude today (December 15). The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, commended Hong Kong, China athletes for their outstanding performance in the Games, showcasing remarkable determination and excellent sportsmanship, and extended his congratulations on their achievements.

Mr Lee said, "The Hong Kong, China Delegation participating in the 12th NGD and 9th NSOG was the largest ever. The athletes fully demonstrated personal perseverance and team spirit, achieving historic and encouraging results with a total of 140 medals, including 51 gold, 49 silver, and 40 bronze medals in taekwondo, athletics, table tennis, swimming, boccia, wheelchair fencing, badminton, NSOG athletics, NSOG bocce, NSOG swimming, NSOG basketball, NSOG football, NSOG table tennis and NSOG badminton, and a mass participation event of para dance sport. They strove hard, overcame obstacles, and surpassed their personal bests, showcasing Hong Kong's indefatigable and indomitable spirit.

"The 12th NGD and 9th NSOG are the country's highest-level multisport event for persons with disabilities. Noting that this year's Games were jointly hosted by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao for the first time with Hong Kong hosting four competition events and one mass participation event, I express my gratitude to the Central Government for its trust, and to the China Disabled Persons' Federation and the General Administration of Sport of China (GASC) for their support. Building on the valuable experience of the 15th National Games, Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao continue to leverage their synergies through resource sharing and complementary strengths to work in concert to deliver the 12th NGD and 9th NSOG under the principle of equality, integration and sharing.

"I would like to thank all sectors of society for their support for the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG, especially the Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI), the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China, and the China Hong Kong Paralympic Committee, as well as the coaching teams, medical personnel, and support teams from relevant National Sports Associations and sports organisations. Their efforts and contributions have assisted Hong Kong athletes in showcasing their talents and enabled the smooth running of events in the Hong Kong competition region, promoting harmony between disabled and non-disabled individuals and enhancing society's support for disability sports."

Mr Lee said that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government is fully committed to promoting the development of disability sports, noting that the Government's actual expenditure on sports development for persons with disabilities exceeded $140 million in the year of 2024-25, with over 80 per cent of the expenditure supporting athletes with disabilities. The Government has designated over $1 billion for the HKSI in the year of 2025-26 to support its training for elite athletes, including those for elite disability sports. The Government will encourage more persons with disabilities to pursue careers as athletes and showcase their talents through continuously increasing resources and enhancing the athlete training ladder, with a view to raising the public's awareness of and support for disability sports.

Mr Lee remarked that the successful conclusion of the 15th National Games, the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG demonstrated the capabilities of Hong Kong and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) in organising large-scale sports events. The Hong Kong SAR Government, the GASC, the People's Government of Guangdong Province, and the Macao SAR Government have signed an agreement on strengthening of sports co-operation and promotion of integrated development to carry forward the spirit of unity under the strategic framework, with a view to deepening co-operation within the GBA and actively implementing integrated sports development in the area.

Photo source: FB of Sports Association for the Physically Disabled of Hong Kong, China

Three incoming passengers convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and importing alternative smoking products

Three incoming passengers were sentenced to between three to six months' imprisonment and fined $1,000 by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts yesterday (May 4) and today (May 5) for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs officers, as well as for importing alternative smoking products, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO) and the Import and Export Ordinance (IEO).

Customs officers intercepted two incoming male passengers, aged 34 and 38, at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) on May 1 and seized around 37 000 duty-not-paid cigarettes, with a market value of about $188,000 and a duty potential of about $124,000, as well as around 85 000 alternative smoking products, with a market value of about $229,000, from their personal baggage. The two passengers were subsequently arrested. They were each sentenced to six months' imprisonment and fined $1,000 yesterday.

In addition, Customs officers intercepted an incoming male passenger, aged 24, at HKIA yesterday. Customs officers seized about 30 000 duty-not-paid cigarettes from his personal baggage, with an estimated market value of about $121,000 and a duty potential of about $98,000. The passenger was subsequently arrested. He was sentenced to three months' imprisonment and fined $1,000 today.

Customs welcomes the sentences. The custodial sentences have imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflect the seriousness of the offences.

Customs reminds members of the public that under the DCO, cigarettes are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

Under the IEO, any person who imports an alternative smoking product into Hong Kong commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

Three incoming passengers convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and importing alternative smoking products Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Three incoming passengers convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and importing alternative smoking products Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Three incoming passengers convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and importing alternative smoking products Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases