**************************************************
The following is issued on behalf of the Major Sports Events Committee:
The Major Sports Events Committee (MSEC) has awarded "M" Mark status to the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2012, which is to be held at the Hong Kong Stadium from March 23 to 25.
The Chairman of the MSEC, Mr William Ko, said today (March 21) that the event, like all "M" Mark events, will add colour and vibrancy to our city and help attract more visitors to Hong Kong.
Mr Ko said, "'M' Mark events help instill a sustainable sporting culture in the community, and foster a sense of pride and social cohesion.
"'M' Mark events showcase Hong Kong's capability to host world-class events and reinforce its position as the events capital of Asia," he added.
The "M" Mark System has been implemented since 2004 to help local "national sports associations" organise more major sports events and nurture them into sustainable undertakings. Sports events meeting the assessment criteria in terms of economic benefits, impact on sports development and good track record of the organisers will be granted "M" Mark status by the MSEC. Funding support will also be provided for some of the event organisers.
The number of recognised "M" Mark events has increased from four in 2005 to eight in 2011.
So far, a total of $48.03 million has been approved for supporting recognised "M" Mark events.
Ends/Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Issued at HKT 12:30
NNNN
