Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying received a piece of advice from Sarah Lee, a track cyclist who brought glory to Hong Kong by winning medals from the Olympics and Asian Games.

Lee advised Leung to dedicate a bit more time and attention to the significance of the history of religious philosophies and the Olympics, as expressed in her Facebook post on Sunday.

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The athlete shared that the political leader should not confine his focus on the Cultural Revolution and Mainland China. Lee pointed out the importance of sports and religious dogmas on the advancement of a community. In a report from Ming Pao Daily, the Olympian shared that these aspects could contribute beyond economic influence.

These posts followed the interview aired on Saturday, in which Leung claimed that sports and religious sectors fail to provide any economic contribution to society.

In a statement from a Hong Kong Baptist University associate professor teaching in the Department of Physical Education, Louie Lobo, governments could save billions of dollars allocated to medical costs if the public is encouraged to participate more in sports activities as proven by various research projects.

Lobo claimed that roughly three percent of the yearly medical expenses could be saved if people become more involved in sports as discussed by a foreign research. Hence, the government could spare approximately HK$1.5 billion.

In addition, Lobo pointed out that engaging in sports activities cultivates the youth's fighting spirit. These can also serve as an effective tool to establish closer bonds within a community, thereby surpassing benefits pertaining only to monetary contributions.

In response to these comments, Leung's office explained in a statement that he was referring to a matter related to the Basic Law and had no intention of belittling the significance of these sectors. Moreover, the government pointed out the considerable attention it have given to develop the sports sector.

TagsSports, Olympics, Sarah Lee, Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, Hong Kong