As a world-class sports and entertainment organisation, The Hong Kong Jockey Club (the Club) is proud to host the Hong Kong Sports Governance and Integrity Alliance’s inaugural International Symposium on Sports Governance and Integrity held at Happy Valley Racecourse today (9 December).

The symposium, which will be held annually in Hong Kong, took place during this year’s iconic LONGINES Hong Kong International Races week. It brought together globally-renowned speakers and over 160 representatives from Hong Kong’s national sports associations and the wider sports community to advance integrity practices and protocols in Hong Kong sports. 

The event was organised by The Sports Governance and Integrity Alliance, comprising the Club, The Hong Kong Chartered Governance Institute (HKCGI), the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) and the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China (SF&OC).

Speaking at the symposium, Rosanna Law, the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism of the HKSAR Government said a sound governance framework not only guides how organisations make critical decisions and establishes appropriate checks and balances, but also ensures national sports associations always act in the best interests of their organisations and athletes. She especially thanked the Club and the HKCGI for echoing the Government’s call to enhance corporate governance in sports. This team effort will not only benefit athletes, support the sports professionals, and promote the sustainable development of sports, but also strengthen Hong Kong’s influence in the global sports arena.  

Club CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges emphasised that the core values of fairness, honesty and playing by the rules are essential not only to the success of sports, but the future of communities.  “Integrity is fundamental to everything we do at the Jockey Club. The Club stands as a global exemplar of good governance, operating one of the cleanest and most well-regulated racing jurisdictions in the world. This is a very special week for Hong Kong racing – the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races. One of the most prestigious events in global racing, each year it brings some of the world’s best jockeys and horses to Hong Kong. It is a showcase of Hong Kong racing, and of the governance and integrity work behind the scenes.”

Officiating guests at today’s symposium also included David Simmonds, President of HKCGI; Edgar Yang, Honorary Secretary General of SF&OC; and Irene Wang, Assistant Director of Corruption Prevention, ICAC.

Global experts from across the sports ecosystem, including representatives from Sports Integrity Australia, the Hong Kong Sports Institute, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Kai Tak Sports Park and Hong Kong China Rugby, joined discussions on best practices in sports governance.  

The symposium’s closing panel covered practical strategies for sporting associations and committees to manage and maintain sporting integrity and featured speakers from the Club, the ICAC and the SF&OC as well as independent expert consultants.

The annual symposiums are part of the Jockey Club HKCGI Sports Governance Programme, one of two key initiatives to enhance governance, operational capability and transparency within Hong Kong’s national sports associations. Through engaging international experts and fostering networking and experience-sharing opportunities, the long-term goal is to position Hong Kong as a leader in sports governance.

The programme is being supported with the aid of an approved donation of over HK$31 million from the Club’s Charities Trust. The Club’s support also enables participants to benefit from its rich expertise and experience in integrity management in sports.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is a world-class sports and entertainment organisation that acts continuously for the betterment of our society. The Club has a unique integrated business model, comprising racing and racecourse entertainment, a membership club, responsible sports wagering and lottery, and charities and community contribution. Through this model, the Club generates economic and social value for the community and supports the HKSAR Government in combatting illegal gambling. In 2024/25, the Club returned a total of HK$39.1 billion to the community. This included HK$30.1 billion to the HKSAR Government in duty, profits tax and Lotteries Fund contributions and HK$9.0 billion in approved charity donations.  The Club is Hong Kong’s largest single taxpayer and one of the city’s major employers. Its Charities Trust is one of the world’s leading charity donors.