A sports figure has welcomed the Justice Department's plan to set up a pilot scheme for a sports dispute resolution system. The idea was first unveiled in the recent Policy Address and comes amid a rise in the complexity of sports disputes. Ronnie Wong, who chairs the Hong Kong China Swimming Association, said the move could save clubs time and money. But he said the arbitrators should meet certain criteria. "First, they shouldn't have any conflict of interest with the cases that they're dealing with. Second, they must have experience in handling disputes related to the particular sports involved," Wong said on a Commercial Radio programme. "It would be better if it's something that they've done in the past, and they understand the sports." Wong said his association would be open to joining the pilot scheme. Hong Kong Law Society president Roden Tong suggested on the same programme that the arbitration be carried out online, adding that the fees "wouldn't be a problem" for those involved. "Basically the costs are very low, to the point that some [people] don't even charge a fee. For simple disputes, for example, some athletes may be very busy, or some associations don't have the time to come out and meet the parties involved," he said.
