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HOWARD Wells _ who launched the Hong Kong Sports Institute's scholarship program in 1987 _ said during the scheme's 10th awards presentation on Monday that the SAR must maintain an international perspective.
Wells left his job as the chief executive of the Hong Kong Sports Development Board two years ago to take charge of the British Sports Council.
He was also the manager of the former Jubilee Centre (now the Institute) for 15 years.
Despite no longer being fully in the picture regarding Hong Kong sport, Wells said the SAR must keep abreast of what was happening elsewhere in the world and see if things could be adapted to work here. Above all, Wells said the employment of world-class coaches was most important.
``Facilities, compared to coaching are not the most important thing,'' he said.
Meanwhile, Olympic and world windsurfing champion Lee Lai-shan topped a list of athletes from 15 sports to receive annual awards at the Hong Kong Sports Institute.
Lee, joined by table tennis star Chai Po-wa and retired rowing star Ho Kim-fai, were given the achievement awards. The achievement awards were given to those who had received the most number of the Outstanding Athletes Award in their respective sports under the scholarship program.
Lee said the special award was meaningful: ``I have received the Outstanding (Athlete) Award for seven years since 1990 when the Institute was called the Jubilee (Sports) Centre . . . I don't know if the Institute will retain its existing name or another will be adopted,'' Lee said.
Other recipients included sculler Fenella Ng Kar-loc, fencer Ho Ka-lai, sprinter Wan Kin-yee, swimmer Alex Fong Lik-sun, gymnast Cheung Sin-man, cyclist Man Wai-chung, triathlete Lee Chi-wo, disabled athletes Chan Fu-sang and So Wa-wai, shuttler Ling Wan-ting, squash player Chiu Wing-yin and footballer Cheung Wai-hong.