Foreword

To uphold the principle of “people-foremost” and “to serve the public”, an in depth understanding on the current status of sport development is needed for the formulation of the countermeasures and implementation plans for future sport development in Macao. To achieve this, the Macao Sport Development Board (MSDB) began in 2007 the planning on the conduct of the relevant study and invited the Beijing Sport University and the University of Macao to jointly conduct the Research on Current Status and Countermeasures of Sport Development in Macao. The research shall provide theoretical bases for the Macao SAR government to formulate sport policies and guidelines with the objective to improve and to enhance the overall performance and standard of sport in Macao. During the research, the Beijing Sport University research team held several symposia with MSDB as well as other sport organizations and professionals in Macao and conducted field investigation and data collection at sport venues of the Public Sports Facilities Network; whereas the University of Macao handed out 40,000 questionnaires to Macao residents and collected more than 35,000 effective answer sheets, obtaining plenty of data on the sport development in Macao. The research team released in 2009 the preliminary result on one part of the  research - the Investigation Report on Current Status of Public Sport Venues in Macao. Earlier this year, the team completed the entire research and issued the research report in June. The report contains 3 parts: Part I, Current Status and Countermeasures of Mass Sport Development in Macao; Part II, Current Status and Countermeasures of Competitive Sport Development in Macao; and Part III, Degree of Satisfaction on Large-scale Sport Events in Macao. Part I and Part II strives mainly to understand the status quo, existing problems and areas for future improvements of the development of mass and competitive sport in Macao following the reunification of Macao with China, while Part III strives mainly to understand the opinions of Macao residents concerning the impact of large-scale sport events on social development and residents’ life as well as their recognition on Macao’s ability to organize and manage sport events. The three parts are now briefly introduced as follows:

Part I Current Status and Countermeasures of Mass Sport Development in Macao

According to the research report, the local mass sport development is in a good situation. The numbers of sport events, participants, and users of the sport venues have continued to rise in a steady pace (see Figures 1, 2 and 3). The research also explored into the behaviours, the forms and items of sport preferred by the Macao residents. The overall result showed that the mass sport is developing in the right direction with sport becoming a part of the way of life for a majority of Macao residents; and the forms of their participation were diversified; and the sport items  preferred were also abundant. The research also pointed out problems facing the mass sport development at present, including the inadequacy of sport venues and publicity; the need to expand the capacity of fitness classes and strengthen the team of sport tutors; as well as the need to tackle the problem faced in the deterioration of the youth’s physical fitness, etc. These are all the areas that must be improved in the future development of mass sport in Macao.

Figure 1 Number of the Mass Sport Events Held by the MSDB (2001-2010)

Figure 2 Number of Participants in the Mass Sport Events Held by the MSDB (2001-2010)

Figure 3 Number of Users of the Public Sports Facilities Network in Macao (2006-2010)

Countermeasures and Proposals

To continue the development of mass sport in Macao and to improve the system involved, the research proposed to act through guidance of policies, by means of legislations, institutions, scientific research and personnel training, and with the sport organizations and sport events and competitions as the vehicle. Through the implementation of policies and legislation, establish a monitoring system of Macao residents’ physical fitness and release relevant data on a regular basis. Furthermore to strengthen scientific research on the method and means of fitness, to foster a team of skilled fitness expertise; to expand the sports venues and facilities network and hold a wide variety of mass sport activities and competitions that include the vulnerable groups; and to strengthen organization of sport associations and publicity and propagation of the healthy function of sport, all for the purpose of promoting the mass sport development in Macao.

Part II Current Status and Countermeasures of Competitive Sport Development in Macao

In respect to the development of competitive sport in Macao, the report indicated that  breakthrough has been made in results achieved in sport competitions (see Table 1); the funding and capital injected as well as the number of local sporting events held have all increased steadily. Furthermore, a decent pool of qualified referees has been cultivated formed; and the achievements in competitive sports have received full recognition by the residents. These are all indicators of the positive progress made in the aspect of competitive sport in Macao. Regarding the challenges faced, the report pointed out the following limitations existing in the competitive sport and they include: relatively limited resources; amateur training systems; unclear development goals; uneven level of competition participations among sports and the need to optimize the deployment of competitive sports. These are all the areas that require improvements in the future development of the competitive sport.

Tabela 1 A Comparison on the Number of Championships Won by Macao Sportsmen in International Sports Events in the last 20 years, before and post Macao’s reunification with China

Note: After Macao’s reunification with China, the sport performance of Macao has realized rapid improvement. The number of gold medals won by Macao after the reunification was 210, accounting for 86.07% of the total 244 gold medals ever won by Macao throughout its history.  

Countermeasures and Proposals

The report proposed that the future competitive sport of Macao should focus on the  Asian and regional sport arena, while each individual sport should be supplemented by its respective World and Asian championships as target. Furthermore, to implement quasi-professional training system and gradually optimize the deployment of individual sports and the structure of sport personnel talents; and form a competitive sport management and training system that is consistent with the principles of modern sport and the reality of Macao, and a competitive sport development model featuring efforts of both the government and the society at large, so as to promote further development of the local competitive sport.

Part  III Degree of Satisfaction on Large-scale Sport Events in Macao

According to the research report, Macao residents were quite satisfied with the holding of large-scale sport events in the city, and they had correct understanding on the positive effect of such events. These large-scale sport events had positive impact on the diversification of local sport and culture and on the enrichment of the leisure activities of the local residents. Moreover, the ability of Macao to organize and manage sport events was also recognized by its residents. In general, their degree of satisfaction on the large-scale sport events reached the level of 52.4%.

Countermeasures and Proposals

The report also put forward opinions and proposals on the future development strategy of the large-scale sport events in Macao, including taking advantage of the existing brand sport events to promote local economic development and taking advantage of regional cooperation with cities in the Pearl River Delta region to explore integrated development and enhance positive effect of the sport events and build a platform of mutual success. The report also proposed to foster residents’ awareness on fitness and cultivate their habit of doing exercises through the effect of large-scale sport events, thus reaching the goal of implementing the governmental policy of popularizing sports among Macao residents.

Conclusion

Sport is an integrated undertaking which merges economic, cultural and social development characteristics. It is an indispensable part of Macao’s effort to build a modern international metropolis, a brilliant show card that demonstrates Macao’s international image, and an important window that exhibits the spirit of Macao. A city without sport is a city without vitality. A modern city is definitely also a city of sport. Looking into the future, with the full support of the Central People’s Government and the strong leadership of the Macao SAR Government, the sport development in Macao is bound to welcome a new era in the course of its history.

Editor’s Words

The research report on Current Status and Countermeasures of Sport Development in Macao provides scientific countermeasures and proposals that deserve to be drawn on for the development of sport in Macao and thus is of great reference value. The MSDB regards highly of this report and will gradually implement feasible opinions and proposals set forth in it. So far, the MSDB has already carried out some feasible proposals, for example, expanding the Public Sports Facilities Network, holding more mass sport events, increasing the number of mass sport tutors, conducting physical fitness monitoring across Macao, and strengthening cooperation and publicity with relevant departments in the mainland China, etc. Construction of the multi-functional sport training centre and reconstruction of the Mong Ha Sport Pavilion is under intensive planning. In addition, the MSDB has drafted the ‘organizational regime of sport association’, the ‘mass sport development system’, the ‘elite sportsmen training funding scheme’, and the ‘elite sportsmen continuing education funding scheme’, all of which are pending examination and approval. Through concrete plans and efforts, the MSDB is delivering the Macao SAR Government’s policy of developing both the mass and competitive sport at the same time, while cooperating with other relevant departments and social organizations, to create a brighter tomorrow for the sport development in Macao.