Jockey Club Supports Community Basketball Initiative to Foster Youth Development and Character Building

To further promote sports for all and foster social cohesion, The Hong Kong Jockey Club has approved a donation of over HK$134 million through its Charities Trust to support the five-year Jockey Club Hoops Connect Community Basketball Programme. The programme also seeks to align with the 15th Five-Year Plan’s strategy to accelerate China’s development into a leading sporting nation as well as the Healthy China development strategy. The initiative will enable more young people to learn and practice basketball for whole-person development and character building, while strengthening community outreach for structured basketball training. To mark the official launch of the programme, a kick-off ceremony was held alongside the Philanthropy for Better Cities (PBC) Forum 2026 on 7 September.

Rosanna Law, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism of the HKSAR Government (centre); Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Chief Executive Officer of The Hong Kong Jockey Club (6th left); Andreas Zagklis, Secretary General of the International Basketball Federation (6th right); Dr Axel Schweitzer, President and Owner of ALBA Berlin Basketball (5th left); Yao Ming, Founder and Chairman of the YAO Foundation (5th right); Billie Lau, Executive Director of The Boys’ and Girls’Clubs Association of Hong Kong (4th left); Hsu Siu-man, Executive Director of The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups (4th right); Dr Wan Lap-man, Executive Director of Hong Kong Playground Association (3rd left); Johnny Wong, General Secretary of Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong (3rd right); Dr Gabriel Leung, Executive Director, Charities and Community of The Hong Kong Jockey Club (2nd right); Raymond Tam, Executive Director, Corporate Affairs of The Hong Kong Jockey Club (2nd left), and other guests at the Jockey Club Hoops Connect Community Basketball Programme kick-off ceremony. Photo source: HKJC

Officiating guests at the ceremony included Rosanna Law, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism of the HKSAR Government; Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Chief Executive Officer of The Hong Kong Jockey Club; Andreas Zagklis, Secretary General of the International Basketball Federation; Dr Axel Schweitzer, President and Owner of ALBA Berlin Basketball (ALBA); Yao Ming, Founder and Chairman of the YAO Foundation; Billie Lau, Executive Director of The Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs Association of Hong Kong (BGCA); Hsu Siu-man, Executive Director of The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups (HKFYG); Dr Wan Lap-man, Executive Director of Hong Kong Playground Association (HKPA); and Johnny Wong, General Secretary of Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong (YMCA).

Rosanna Law, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, delivers a speech at the Jockey Club Hoops Connect Community Basketball Programme kick-off ceremony. Photo source: HKJC

Speaking at the ceremony, Rosanna Law noted that sport is not only about enhancing athletic performance. It also serves as an important foundation for physical and mental well-being, playing a vital role in fostering social cohesion and spreading positive values. She added that the HKSAR Government will continue to invest resources in promoting the holistic development of sports in Hong Kong. Noting that the Club has long been an important partner of the Government in advancing sports development, she expressed confidence that the programme will help expand access to high-quality basketball training in the community, enabling more young people to benefit.

Club Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges delivers a speech at the Jockey Club Hoops Connect Community Basketball Programme kick-off ceremony. Photo source: HKJC

Club Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges said the Club believes deeply in the power of sport to change lives. As one of Hong Kong's most popular team sports, basketball is an ideal way to engage young people while imparting valuable life lessons. With this vision in mind, the Club is working to strengthen sector-wide capacity and build a sustainable basketball ecosystem in Hong Kong through a three-pronged strategy of upgrading facilities, delivering high-quality community programmes and nurturing capable coaches. Through the new initiative, the Club hopes to support the holistic, all-round development of the city’s young people, helping them develop not only their skills, but also their confidence and character.

YMCA collaborates with ALBA to develop a tailored coach training course targeting tertiary students in sports-related disciplines. Photo source; HKJC

The five-year programme comprises district-wide youth training jointly delivered by BGCA, HKFYG and HKPA, as well as coach training organised by YMCA. The youth training will be conducted across all 18 Hong Kong districts, offering annual nine-month basketball programmes for young people aged six to 16, particularly those who may lack equitable access to structured training opportunities due to financial or social barriers. Leveraging the Club’s partnership with the YAO Foundation, and drawing on experiences from ALBA, the programme references international best practices in developing “whole-person basketball training”.

In addition to training and competition, participants will also have the opportunity to take part in learning activities and have opportunities to join exchange trips to the Chinese Mainland and overseas. To maintain high-quality training and expand the pipeline of coaching talent for this and other future basketball programmes, YMCA is collaborating with ALBA to develop a tailored coach training course targeting tertiary students in sports-related disciplines. Upon successful completion of the training, graduates will receive dual accreditation, a YMCA local certificate and overseas recognition through ALBA.

Local elite basketball players and ALBA coaches interact with young people in a skills demonstration at the kick-off ceremony of the Jockey Club Hoops Connect Community Basketball Programme. Photo source: HKJC

The programme is expected to benefit more than 4,600 young participants, enhancing their basketball skills, physical fitness, psychosocial well-being and personal growth, while also training some 450 coaches to deliver quality community basketball programmes. In addition, the programme's public engagement activities are projected to attract around 50,000 attendances.

Officiating guests receive commemorative basketballs from youth participants. Photo source: HKJC

As a world-class sports and entertainment organisation with a strong commitment to the nation and to Hong Kong, the Club actively supports national and local sports development at both community and elite levels. These efforts reflect the Club’s purpose of acting continuously for the betterment of society. To further strengthen its support for sports development, the Club announced last year a commitment of HK$3 billion over the following three years.

The Club’s support for the Jockey Club Hoops Connect Community Basketball Programme, like all its charity and community donations, is made possible by its unique business model through which racing and responsible sports wagering generate substantial tax contributions, charity support and employment opportunities for Hong Kong.

Group photo, Photo source: HKJC

The Hong Kong Jockey Club (the Club) offers its warmest congratulations to the Hong Kong, China Delegation for its success at the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya and Aichi Prefecture, Japan, which concluded today (4 October). With a record-breaking 54 medals, including 11 gold, 19 silver and 24 bronze medals, the Hong Kong, China Delegation delivered an outstanding performance at the Games.

With a record-breaking 54 medals, including 11 gold, 19 silver and 24 bronze medals, the Hong Kong, China Delegation delivered an outstanding performance at the Games. Photo source: FB@HKJC

The Club congratulates Hong Kong, China athletes and is pleased to announce that a total of HK$37.5 million in cash incentives will be awarded to over 110 medallists through the Jockey Club Athlete Incentive Awards Scheme (JCAIAS), HK$5 million more than for the last Asian Games in Hangzhou, in recognition of their outstanding accomplishments on Asia's biggest sporting stage.

Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Chief Executive Officer of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, Photo source: reference image

Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Chief Executive Officer of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, said: “Once again the Hong Kong, China Delegation showed our city’s can-do spirit with an outstanding display of skill, resilience and true sportsmanship. Our sincere congratulations to every medallist on their success, which has truly inspired us all. Sport is a key area of focus for the Club in fulfilling its purpose of acting for the betterment of society. Having invested significantly to become a global leader in the sport of horse racing, the Club has a strong focus on holistic talent development. We have supported sports development at both elite and community levels over many years, from the funding of the establishment of Hong Kong Sports Institute to helping to build the foundations for success of our top-performing athletes. We are proud to recognise the Hong Kong, China Delegation’s achievements at the 20th Asian Games through the Jockey Club Athlete Incentive Awards Scheme.”

The Hong Kong, China Delegation achieved 11 gold medals at the 20th Asian Games. Photo source: FB@HKJC

The Hong Kong, China Delegation achieved 19 silver medals at the 20th Asian Games. Photo source: FB@HKJC

The Hong Kong, China Delegation achieved 24 bronze medals at the 20th Asian Games. Photo source: FB@HKJC

Hong Kong, China athletes achieved several historic breakthroughs at this year’s Asian Games:

• Competed in Modern Pentathlon, Padel, Rhythmic Gymnastics and Wrestling for the first time.

• The gold and silver medal tallies reached record highs, including 11 gold medals, placing Hong Kong, China among the top 10 in the Asian Games medal table.

• Secured Hong Kong, China’s first-ever medals in Wushu Sanda, Men's Team Kata and Butterfly Swimming.

• Claimed both the gold and silver medals in the Squash Mixed Doubles event for the first time.

• Won Hong Kong, China’s first-ever Men’s Singles Tennis medal, which was also the first-ever Asian Games gold medal in Tennis. The Women’s Doubles team also won a medal for the first time in 64 years.

• The Men’s Rugby Sevens team won the gold medal for the third consecutive Asian Games, achieving Hong Kong, China’s first-ever three-peat in the same event.

• Won a total of 10 medals in Sailing and Windsurfing,comprising four gold, four silver and two bronze,across both the senior competitions and youth events introduced for the first time at this Asian Games, making Sailing and Windsurfing the Delegation’s highest medal-winning sports.

The 20th Asian Games List of Awarded Athletes Jockey Club Athlete Incentive Awards Scheme, Photo source: HKJC

The 20th Asian Games List of Awarded Athletes Jockey Club Athlete Incentive Awards Scheme, Photo source: HKJC

The 20th Asian Games List of Awarded Athletes Jockey Club Athlete Incentive Awards Scheme, Photo source: HKJC

The 20th Asian Games List of Awarded Athletes Jockey Club Athlete Incentive Awards Scheme, Photo source: HKJC

In August, the Club announced a new cycle of the JCAIAS, to be implemented by the Hong Kong Sports Institute.The scheme covers seven major sporting events, beginning with the 20th Asian Games. The next will be the 5th Asian Para Games, taking place from 18-24 October.