Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Commissioner for Digital Policy, Mr Tony Wong, visited the Technical Operation Centre of the 15th National Games (NG) in Hong Kong and various competition venues including those for fencing, basketball, track cycling, rugby sevens and triathlon for two consecutive days (November 13 and 14). Mr Wong saw for himself the operation of the information systems and various technological installations at these venues and reminded colleagues that the peak competition schedules this weekend will pose a major challenge to the information systems and technical support work. He encouraged colleagues to continue demonstrating professionalism to ensure the smooth and stable running of all competition events.
The Digital Policy Office (DPO) has set up a dedicated team to fully launch the preparation work for the 15th NG since early 2024 and has closely co-operated with the Sports Information Center of the General Administration of Sport of China and the technology task force from the Chinese Mainland. The DPO is committed to providing precise, stable, and efficient core information and technology systems for the 15th NG, including sensor technology, scoring systems, detection devices, and arbitration camera systems, as well as the setup of network infrastructure to ensure the fairness and smooth operation of the competition events. For the NG, the DPO has deployed over 3 200 devices and more than 20 information systems, mobilising over 400 technical personnel across various venues. A Technical Operation Centre has also been set up for 24-hour real-time monitoring and centralised command to support all the competition events held at the Hong Kong competition zone. The DPO has also maintained close co-ordination with the responsible units in both Guangdong Province and Macao, demonstrating resource integration and joint operations with a strong team spirit.
During his inspection of the fencing venue, Mr Wong highlighted that sensor technology and scoring systems are particularly important for fencing competitions, which demand extremely high precision. Colleagues are required to conduct repeated testing to ensure the systems can provide instant feedback to safeguard the absolute fairness and accuracy of the competition results. He expressed his appreciation for the on-site technical team’s dedication to ensuring system stability and real-time responsiveness, and operating seamlessly in sync with the pace of the competitions.
Mr Wong conducted a key inspection of the track cycling finishing line at the Hong Kong Velodrome to assess the operational efficiency of the timing and testing equipment, pointing out that the equipment accurately captures the athletes’ finishing times. Equipped with high-precision photo-electronic timers and lap time recording devices for athletes, the equipment is crucial for determining race results and monitoring. The entire system, using high-end technology sensor devices and intelligent algorithms, ensures zero error in judgements.
The area of the rugby sevens match field is vast, which results in a massive cabling project and the transmission of images from multiple cameras. These cameras are indispensable equipment in the refereeing system supporting officiating and replay reviews. Mr Wong expressed his gratitude to the working team for their professional dedication as well as hard work in overcoming the complex cabling challenges to ensure that video surveillance covered the entire match field.
During his visit to the triathlon competition venue which involves an extensive coverage area and a very high standard of technical requirements, Mr Wong was briefed by colleagues on the integration of drone operations into the referee system, which provides real-time Ultra HD aerial images and multi-angle views, effectively assisting the referee team in making accurate judgements. This exemplifies how innovation and technology can enhance the fairness of the competition, demonstrating the advanced value of technology in empowering sports.
Mr Wong also paid a special visit to the technical operations centre to learn about the system monitoring arrangements and operational mechanisms during the competitions. He acknowledged the team’s professional attitude in ensuring the smooth flow of competition information and operation, and commended their close collaboration with leading cybersecurity experts in Chinese Mainland introduced specially by the DPO for the NG and their outstanding performance with zero incidents despite facing various complex and ever-changing cyber challenges during the high-pressure competition period. He then encouraged the team to strictly adhere to the principle of “respond instantly, recover rapidly”, and remain highly vigilant and be prepared at all times to deal with any kind of emergencies that may arise during the event. He emphasised that rapid response and effective co-ordination are key to ensuring “zero interruption” to the Games, adding that close teamwork is the only way to guarantee the smooth running of the event.
The DPO will release a series of short videos during the events through its Facebook page (www.facebook.com/digitalpolicyhk). Members of the public are invited to watch and learn more about how information technology supports this national large-scale event.