Principal weeps, says sorry as Hong Kong school famous for winning football misses out on event

The headmaster of a Hong Kong school that has frequently won a football competition has made an emotional plea to organisers, asking them to allow the institution to join this year’s contest after missing the registration deadline due to “administrative negligence”.

Wong Yau-kit, principal of Yan Chai Hospital Tung Chi Ying Memorial Secondary School in Ma On Shan, apologised for the institution’s negligence at a sharing session with parents and students on Thursday.

“I told myself not to cry. I’m not seeking sympathy, but I truly feel I have let my students down. They work so hard, training three days a week on the field, even when the temperatures exceed 30 degrees Celsius,” Wong said.

He added the football team comprised 23 Form Six pupils and that this would have been their last time taking part in the Inter-School Soccer Competition held by the Hong Kong Schools Sports Federation.

Wong explained that registration had been the responsibility of the former head of the physical education department in recent years, who had his last day on August 31.