In 2019, as pro-democracy protesters marched by the streets of Hong Kong, Nathan Legislation may hear the pro-democracy songs virtually in every single place he went.
On the time, Legislation was maybe the highest-profile pro-democracy activist in Hong Kong. He had come to prominence as one of many pupil leaders of the 2014 Umbrella Motion, shifting in opposition to plans to permit Beijing to veto political candidates to run Hong Kong.
He later co-founded a brand new political celebration and have become Hong Kong’s youngest elected lawmaker, though he was later disqualified from workplace alongside different pro-democracy politicians, on the nebulous cost of not taking the oath of workplace correctly.
However when the unrest returned in 2019, and because the streets once more full of protesters, one other extra uncommon crucible for resistance got here to the fore: the soccer stadium.
When the Hong Kong nationwide soccer workforce performed, the discontent from the streets was projected louder than anyplace else. Supporters would boo the Chinese language nationwide anthem, which was performed on behalf of Hong Kong as it’s formally a “Particular Administrative Area” of China.
As an alternative, supporters would sing, Glory to Hong Kong, another track related to the protest motion.
“The soccer tradition of Hong Kong is for individuals to assist the nationwide workforce in methods to point out discontent in the direction of the federal government, so when there was a Chinese language nationwide anthem enjoying, individuals would get up and present discontent by simply booing them,” stated Legislation, who’s a soccer fan in addition to an activist.
In Hong Kong, the place there was a return to the politics of native id – significantly the distinctiveness of Hong Kong id – assist for the nationwide workforce can also be robust, he stated. “There’s a correlation between sports activities and politics. As a result of on the finish of the day, in case you are attempting to create a singular individuals, it’s essential have this id, you want fantasy, you want one thing to cement them … the nationwide workforce is a part of the nation-building course of.”
However there was no booing on Tuesday night time in Doha when the Hong Kong workforce performed Palestine in a crunch match to succeed in the knockout levels of the 2024 Asian Cup.
Palestine gained 3-0, ending Hong Kong’s involvement within the match, however this was a really totally different nationwide workforce, and political setting, in contrast with 2019. For one, the workforce now formally performs below a distinct title: Hong Kong, China.
‘Anti-foreigner’ riots
When Hong Kong was handed again to China by the British in 1997, on the finish of a 99-year lease, there was unease about what the long run had in retailer. China promised to take care of Hong Kong’s standing as a “Particular Administrative Area” for the subsequent 50 years so long as Hong Kong was irrevocably recognised as Chinese language territory, below the “one nation, two programs” mannequin.
The end result was an uneasy rigidity between the extra pluralistic and liberal democratic system of Hong Kong, and the way more authoritarian mannequin practised on the mainland. It was a rigidity that grew to become unavoidably public when the 2 nationwide soccer groups confronted one another in competitors.
By far essentially the most notorious match was the “5.19 Incident”, so referred to as as a result of it occurred at a vital World Cup qualifier between Hong Kong and China for Mexico ’86 on Could 19, 1985.
Hong Kong was nonetheless a British colonial possession that flew its colonial-era flag and used “God Save the Queen” as its anthem when its workforce beat China 2-1 in entrance of 80,000 followers on the Employee’s Stadium in Beijing.
“Anti-foreigner” riots erupted, stopping Hong Kong’s gamers from leaving the stadium for 2 hours.
“HK Win Sparks Riot: Indignant Crowds Stone Foreigners,” ran one headline within the South China Morning Put up. “Half bricks and damaged bottles” rained down on the pitch, they wrote.
The Chinese language workforce bus and a Japanese-made taxi have been overturned outdoors the stadium. An additional 130 automobiles have been destroyed. Such was the disgrace of dropping to Hong Kong that each China’s coach and the FA president resigned. It was dubbed the “Siege of the Employees’ Stadium”.
Legislation hadn’t been born but and was solely a child when Hong Kong beat China on penalties in a regional match in 1995, one other well-known however uncommon victory for Hong Kong over China. But he grew up with soccer and noticed its political energy develop in Hong Kong, particularly when it got here to the problem of the nationwide anthem.
Since 1997, China’s The March of The Volunteers has been Hong Kong’s official anthem, too. When the 2 groups have been drawn once more in the identical group for the 2018 World Cup qualification and performed twice in 2015, Hong Kong’s followers booed their very own anthem.
A big quantity turned their backs to the sector when it was sung and held up banners that stated “Hong Kong is NOT China” and “Boo”. Each video games completed as diplomatic 0-0 attracts and the Hong Kong Soccer Affiliation was later sanctioned by FIFA.
Nonetheless booing the Nationwide Anthem
To forestall a repeat, Hong Kong launched the Nationwide Anthem Ordinance in June 2020. This said that everybody should stand and “deport themselves with dignity” when The March of Volunteers was performed at main occasions, particularly sporting occasions. Deliberately insulting the anthem now carried a three-year jail sentence and a $6,000 nice.
Even that didn’t cease a few of the crowd from booing the nationwide anthem when Hong Kong performed Myanmar as late as final yr, nonetheless.
The brand new ordinance wasn’t sufficient and, at first of 2023, the Sports activities Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China, ordered Hong Kong’s 83 sporting our bodies to alter their names to incorporate “China” or lose their funding.
The newly named “Hong Kong Soccer Affiliation, China” duly complied and the newly named nationwide workforce, Hong Kong, China, was born. “Each organised nationwide sports activities workforce in Hong Kong has to alter its title from Hong Kong to Hong Kong, China, with the intention to present political loyalty,” defined Legislation.
“Lots of people – diehard followers of the Hong Kong nationwide workforce – have been actually complaining and expressing their discontent on-line as a result of that [the national team] was a giant a part of Hong Kong’s distinctive id.”
However with the avenues for dissent rising narrower below Hong Kong’s post-protest safety regime, and the specter of jail hanging over them, few followers may communicate out. The stadiums have been silenced. Or virtually silenced.
In March 2023, 1000’s queued up outdoors the Mong Kok stadium in Kowloon to observe the final sport that the Hong Kong nationwide workforce would formally play below that title.
The 1000’s who arrived on the Mong Kok stadium weren’t simply there for an historic ultimate second. They’d additionally arrived to purchase the final ever Hong Kong jersey to be launched earlier than its title was to alter eternally. “Folks have been so upset about it [the name and jersey change],” recalled Legislation. “So individuals simply tried to catch the final window, and purchase the final model of the jersey.”
The jerseys offered out inside an hour. “Even I couldn’t get one!” Legislation stated.
A pleasant however symbolic win in opposition to China
Beneath Norwegian coach Jorn Andersen, who has expertise working in politically delicate environments after teaching the North Korean nationwide workforce, Hong Kong reached its first Asian Cup finals since 1968. Chan Siu-kwan’s purpose in opposition to the UAE of their first sport of this yr’s match was Hong Kong’s first within the Asian Cup in 56 years.
“It’s nonetheless a bit troublesome to correctly consider how a lot the Hong Kong workforce improved during the last years [but] there was positively a sure upwards momentum after Jorn Andersen took over in 2021,” stated Tobias Zuser, a tutorial and co-host of the Hong Kong Soccer Podcast.
“Hong Kong benefitted from the current Asian Cup enlargement from 16 to 24 groups. Having certified because the twenty fourth workforce, there’s nonetheless a basic notion that they’ve been dropping floor to the likes of Vietnam and, as such, future {qualifications} to the Asian Cup will nonetheless be a serious problem.”
Zuser believed Andersen has introduced in a extra proactive type, utilizing youthful gamers alongside naturalised foreigners, which has introduced outcomes.
Symbolically, Hong Kong beat China 2-1 in a behind-closed-doors pleasant in Abu Dhabi earlier than the match started, their first victory over China in 28 years.
“I don’t must encourage the workforce in opposition to China,” Andersen stated after the victory.
“[The win against China] was definitely a symbolic victory,” stated Zuser. “However in comparison with the most recent two wins, 1985 within the World Cup qualifiers and 1995 in penalties on the predecessor of the East Asian Cup, it was solely a pleasant sport and therefore of significantly much less historic weight.”
Legislation stated he observed a extra subdued official response to the win.
“There have been no Hong Kong officers popping out to congratulate the Hong Kong workforce, nobody stated something after Hong Kong’s victory in opposition to China,” he stated. “If Hong Kong had crushed Japan or Korea, authorities officers would say ‘Look how nicely we performed.’ Not this time.”
Legislation nonetheless adopted the outcomes of the nationwide workforce, however from afar. He fled Hong Kong in 2021 after its new safety regulation was applied. He has since been given political asylum within the UK. In July final yr, the Hong Kong authorities issued an arrest warrant for Legislation and provided a bounty of 1 million Hong Kong {dollars} ($129,000) for his seize.
The nationwide workforce misplaced its first two video games in opposition to Iran and the UAE. When Palestine beat Hong Kong, a victory which confirmed each Hong Kong and China’s elimination from the competitors, Legislation tweeted magnanimously, “I hope this information brings some heat to the individuals who suffered lots. We want peace and rights.”
A brand new convergence
Jorn Andersen is probably going to stick with the Hong Kong workforce as they put together for his or her subsequent problem, a spherical of 2026 World Cup qualification matches in March.
Though they misplaced all three video games on the Asian Cup, the followers have been constructive concerning the performances, particularly in opposition to the UAE and Iran. “It was essential we may beat China [before the tournament],” stated Andersen after the Palestine sport. “That has given us confidence. Total, we had match, we took a step up and closed the hole to the larger groups. We’ve to work onerous, and shut the hole a bit extra.”
This yr’s Asian Cup, and Hong Kong’s pleasant victory in Abu Dhabi, confirmed that the hole between Hong Kong, China and the Republic of China, in footballing phrases no less than, has received smaller.
It’s one convergence that the mainland maybe wasn’t anticipating to see. “Each time Hong Kong, a quote-unquote ‘province workforce’, performs nicely and outperforms China, it’s unhealthy information for them,” stated Legislation. “And it’s excellent news for us.”
