In 2019, as pro-democracy protesters marched by way of the streets of Hong Kong, Nathan Legislation may hear the pro-democracy songs nearly in all places 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 social gathering 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 stuffed with protesters, one other extra uncommon crucible for resistance got here to the fore: the soccer stadium.
When the Hong Kong nationwide soccer staff 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 folks to help the nationwide staff in methods to point out discontent in the direction of the federal government, so when there was a Chinese language nationwide anthem enjoying, folks 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 – help for the nationwide staff 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 making an attempt to create a singular folks, you must have this id, you want delusion, you want one thing to cement them … the nationwide staff is a part of the nation-building course of.”
However there was no booing on Tuesday evening in Doha when the Hong Kong staff performed Palestine in a crunch match to succeed in the knockout phases 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 staff, and political atmosphere, in contrast with 2019. For one, the staff now formally performs underneath a special 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 longer term had in retailer. China promised to keep up 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, underneath the “one nation, two programs” mannequin.
The end result was an uneasy stress between the extra pluralistic and liberal democratic system of Hong Kong, and the much more authoritarian mannequin practised on the mainland. It was a stress 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 Might 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 staff 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 Submit. “Half bricks and damaged bottles” rained down on the pitch, they wrote.
The Chinese language staff bus and a Japanese-made taxi had been overturned exterior the stadium. An extra 130 automobiles had 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 Staff’ 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 difficulty 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 had 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 advantageous.
Even that didn’t cease among 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, firstly of 2023, the Sports activities Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China, ordered Hong Kong’s 83 sporting our bodies to vary their names to incorporate “China” or lose their funding.
The newly named “Hong Kong Soccer Affiliation, China” duly complied and the newly named nationwide staff, Hong Kong, China, was born. “Each organised nationwide sports activities staff in Hong Kong has to vary its title from Hong Kong to Hong Kong, China, to be able to present political loyalty,” defined Legislation.
“Lots of people – diehard followers of the Hong Kong nationwide staff – had 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 underneath Hong Kong’s post-protest safety regime, and the specter of jail hanging over them, few followers may communicate out. The stadiums had been silenced. Or nearly silenced.
In March 2023, hundreds queued up exterior the Mong Kok stadium in Kowloon to look at the final sport that the Hong Kong nationwide staff would formally play underneath that title.
The hundreds who arrived on the Mong Kok stadium weren’t simply there for an historic last second. They’d additionally arrived to purchase the final ever Hong Kong jersey to be launched earlier than its title was to vary ceaselessly. “Individuals had been so upset about it [the name and jersey change],” recalled Legislation. “So folks 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
Underneath Norwegian coach Jorn Andersen, who has expertise working in politically delicate environments after teaching the North Korean nationwide staff, 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 tough to correctly consider how a lot the Hong Kong staff improved during the last years [but] there was positively a sure upwards momentum after Jorn Andersen took over in 2021,” stated Tobias Zuser, an instructional and co-host of the Hong Kong Soccer Podcast.
“Hong Kong benefitted from the latest Asian Cup enlargement from 16 to 24 groups. Having certified because the twenty fourth staff, there may be 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 should encourage the staff 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 newest 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 seen a extra subdued official response to the win.
“There have been no Hong Kong officers popping out to congratulate the Hong Kong staff, nobody stated something after Hong Kong’s victory in opposition to China,” he stated. “If Hong Kong had overwhelmed Japan or Korea, authorities officers would say ‘Look how effectively we performed.’ Not this time.”
Legislation nonetheless adopted the outcomes of the nationwide staff, however from afar. He fled Hong Kong in 2021 after its new safety legislation 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 supplied a bounty of 1 million Hong Kong {dollars} ($129,000) for his seize.
The nationwide staff 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 quite a bit. We want peace and rights.”
A brand new convergence
Jorn Andersen is probably going to stick with the Hong Kong staff 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 had been constructive concerning the performances, particularly in opposition to the UAE and Iran. “It was crucial we may beat China [before the tournament],” stated Andersen after the Palestine sport. “That has given us confidence. General, we had an excellent match, we took a step up and closed the hole to the larger groups. We’ve got to work laborious, 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 at the very least, has received smaller.
It’s one convergence that the mainland maybe wasn’t anticipating to see. “Each time Hong Kong, a quote-unquote ‘province staff’, performs effectively and outperforms China, it’s unhealthy information for them,” stated Legislation. “And it’s excellent news for us.”
