Masahito Kitsui and Raymond Fong Chai-chi accused the Hong Kong Weightlifting and Powerlifting Federation (China) of embezzling prize money. Not only that, this organization also forced them to pay more than 3 billion VND in training fees and did not invest in or develop weightlifting and powerlifting.
Specifically, Kitsui received the subsidy for 6 years, from 2014 to 2021. Fong received the subsidy from 2019 to 2022. Kitsui accused of being embezzled more than 600 million VND. This amount of money was sponsored by the Hong Kong Sports Institute for elite athletes not in Group A sports or the Individual Athlete Support Program.
The Hong Kong Sports Institute also confirmed that the money was for athletes. However, they did not transfer the money directly to the athletes but through the direct management unit.
Two weightlifters Kitsui and Fong.
Masahito Kitsui is a weightlifter who won the 2014 Asian gold medal and was once ranked second in the world. Meanwhile, Raymond Fong Chai-chi holds seven records in Hong Kong.
The Hong Kong Weightlifting and Powerlifting Federation denied the athletes’ allegations, saying the pair had voluntarily paid the coach’s salary. Kitsui was suspended for abusing his allowance, according to the federation. Fong was also suspended.
In November 2023, Kitsui left the Hong Kong Weightlifting and Powerlifting Federation. He publicly complained not for money but because he did not want others to fall into the same situation.
Not only Kitsui and Fong, a weightlifter named Ho stood up to denounce the federation for neglecting and not investing in weightlifting and powerlifting. He emphasized that the federation rarely organized tournaments.
The championship was held only once in 2019. Recently, the Hong Kong Weightlifting and Powerlifting Federation announced that it will hold another tournament at the end of March.
Josephine Ip Wing-yuk, president of the Hong Kong Weightlifting and Powerlifting Federation, said that the proposal to hold the championships annually was being considered. He said that the championships will not be held from 2020 to 2023 due to the pandemic. However, the president did not explain why the championships before 2019 will not be held.
According to the regulations of the World Weightlifting Federation, member federations must organize annual championships. In Hong Kong (China), only members of the weightlifting and powerlifting federations are allowed to represent them in international competitions. Hong Kong has many good weightlifters. However, since 2012, Hong Kong has only sent one professional weightlifter to participate in international competitions.
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