The Asian Weightlifting Classic Championships being held in Dubai has broadcast the song related to the 2019 Hong Kong protests, instead of the national anthem, after athlete Susanna Lin won the gold medal, just weeks after it happened in the men’s final of a rugby tournament.
After 15 seconds, the athlete made a T to indicate that there was a mistake with the playback, as indicated by the protocol established by the Hong Kong authorities, after which the organizers played the national anthem.
The Hong Kong Sports Federation and the Hong Kong Olympic Committee issued these guidelines after a similar error occurred in an Asian rugby tournament.
The sports authorities said in a statement carried by the public broadcaster, RTHK, that they had provided the organizers of the competition with the correct version of the national anthem. They also stressed that the athlete and the team manager had responded in a «timely and appropriate» manner during the incident.
They have also asked the Hong Kong Weightlifting and Weightlifting Association to investigate the case with the organizer and the Asian Weightlifting Federation and submit a report.
For its part, the country’s government has said it «deplores and strongly objects» to the error, which it considers «of great importance», but accepts that it has responded to the incident in accordance with the guidelines and urges that the report be made available as soon as possible.
