News stories about female athletes being sexually abused by their coaches and team doctors have caused public uproar in countries like the United Kingdom and United States recently. Inconceivably a similar scandal broke out yesterday in the SAR: Hong Kong's champion hurdler Vera Lui Lai-yiu published a post on her social media page early yesterday morning saying she had once been taken by her coach to his home and sexually abused 10 years ago. Her exposure of the incident sparks an outcry in the city, reactions by many school authorities and parents are particularly strong.
As it is known so far, the incident is just revealed on the Internet. The person concerned has not yet reported the case to the police, and the police have not yet put it on file for investigation. Nevertheless, the happening of such an incident is unacceptable and shocking. The content of Vera Lui's online statement presents an actual example how an innocent girl, who entirely trusted her track-and-field coach, had gone with the coach to his home unsuspiciously for him to "massage her muscles", but then unexpectedly he had taken off her underwear and touched her private parts and sexually abused her. Under such circumstances, a girl, shocked, humiliated and remorseful, dared not to open her mouth let alone ask for help. As such she has lived in humiliation for a decade. How unrighteous and unjust this is, and what a pain and cruel sufferings for her.
Therefore, after the exposure of the scandal, Vera Lui's misfortune arouses wide concern and sympathy in society. Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor made her response on her own initiative. As a matter of fact, Vera Lui's case is very likely just the tip of the iceberg, similar incidents may have happened in other sports activities but the persons concerned are not courageous enough to speak out the truth. This is by no means meant to tar everyone in the sector with the same brush. In sports and other skill-training sectors, virtuous teachers and coaches who care about students are in the majority. For instance, Olympic racing cyclist Wong Kam-po and "Cycling Goddess from Lower Ngau Tau Kok Estate" Sarah Lee Wai-sze are like son and daughter to their coach Shen Jinkang. When, like a bolt out of the blue, another coach Pu Linjun passed away last year, Sarah Lee was bathed in tears. However, it is undeniable that "there's a black sheep in every flock", so inevitably there are good guys and also bad ones. This is also a reason why the incident arouses such strong reaction from society.
Therefore, right now, the police must proactive follow up the case, and Vera Lui, since she already has the courage to make the "self-exposure", should step forward further to file a complaint with the police and provide more information so as to bring the shameless scum to justice. She well says in her post that she makes the incident public in hopes of arousing society's attention and concern with the problem of child sexual abuse, encouraging unfortunate victims to step forward bravely, and that the public would realise issues sex-related issues are not shameful and can be openly discussed. Her viewpoints are correct. By publicising more information about her incident, she won't be looked down upon. On the contrary, only by bring the culprit to justice, can her three hopes be made come true.
On the other hand, all sports projects, institutions, organisations and schools must learn a lesson from this incident and make a thorough review of arrangements for athletes and students' training, medical treatment and studies. Normal contacts between coaches and athletes of the opposite sex are inevitable, and there is no need to raise false alarms out of nothing. However, some necessary preventive measures are still necessary. For examples, it must be avoided for a young female athlete to stay alone with a male coach, and when female athletes are in training there should be some female coach or assistant at present. Solicitude must be shown for young female athletes' mental problems and emotional changes, so as to discover problems in time.
Progresses have been seen in Hong Kong's sports performance, and many parents also encourage their children to take part in sports activities. Caring about children and teenagers including athletes is whole society's obligation. The evil trend of sexual abuse of athletes must absolutely not be allowed to carry on and grow. 01 December 2017
