Reprinted from Hong Kong Free Press.

Official response from Gay Games Hong Kong is also below.

by RHODA KWAN, 15 JUNE 2021

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has said she “does not condone” divisive comments made by lawmakers in the legislature last week when they described the city’s 2022 Gay Games (GGHK) as “disgraceful.”

“Our position on the Gay Games is we understand the purpose of these games is to promote inclusiveness and diversity, so we have no problem with that sort of spirit and purpose,” the chief executive told the press on Tuesday.

Several pro-Beijing lawmakers objected to the government’s facilitation of the games during a legislative council meeting last Thursday, with Junius Ho calling them “disgraceful” and saying he did not want the “dirty money” the games will generate.

“It was much regretted that in the course of discussing this topic in the Legislative Council, individual members have become a bit emotional in expressing their view,” Lam said.

She also said the city’s lawmakers have certain standards of behaviour that should followed: “But after all, they are Legislative Council members and they have their own standards they should abide by.”

Lam added that she did not accept any comments that would “unnecessarily divide society.”

Read the rest of this article HERE.

See Carrie Lam's comments delivered on video HERE.

OFFICIAL RESPONSE FROM GAY GAMES HONG KONG:

The organisers of the 11th International Gay Games in Hong Kong welcome the remarks by the Hong Kong Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, and we look forward to a collaborative and fruitful cooperation with the SAR government to achieve success for the Games in November 2022. As the first Games of its kind in Asia, this event will put Hong Kong on the map as a world-class city representing our values of Unity, Diversity and Inclusion. As the Games are only a year and a half away, we urgently ask the government to help us secure sports venues ahead of time, not subject to rules and regulations typically applied to one-off local events. 

2022年第11屆香港同樂運動會（下稱：同樂運動會）歡迎行政長官林鄭月娥的回應，並期望與香港特區政府緊密和愉快合作，讓即將於2022年11月舉行的同樂運動會取得成功。作為亞洲首辦如此性質的大型體育盛事，這場活動將能發揮香港作為世界級城市的潛力，展現團結、多元和共融的核心理念。如今距離同樂運動會僅餘一年半的時間，我們促請政府協助我們及早預訂所需的體育場地，毋須受一般適用於單次本地活動的規則及規例所規限。