Sarajevo/IBNS: Pro-democracy protest song ‘Glory to Hong Kong’ was recently played during a sports event in Bosnia and Herzegovina, instead of China’s official ‘March of the Volunteers’ anthem.
Tuesday night’s blunder at an ice hockey match in Sarajevo comes amid a months-long row over the mix-ups, and is the fifth such incident to have emerged in a year, reports Hong Kong Free Press.
The song – associated with the 2019 protests and unrest – was halted and the correct anthem was played after around 90 seconds. Several Hong Kong hockey players at the World Championship Division III Group B match made the “time out” gesture as the song was played following their victory over Iran, the news portal reported.
“We are very sorry, it will be corrected,” an announcer said as heard in a viral video, before the correct song was played.
The Hong Kong government on Wednesday expressed “strong dissatisfaction” over the latest gaffe. It said athletes had protested immediately in accordance with guidelines issued by the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China (SF&OC).
It urged the organisers to make a correction and demanded the local Olympic committee launch an in-depth investigation, including whether the sports association concerned had re-confirmed with the organisers that the anthem to be played was the correct one.
