- The annual awards will see officials, players and coaches from 47 member associations gather at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
The Asian Football Confederation is standing by Hong Kong as host of its Annual Awards next month, despite continuing anti-government protests that have forced the cancellation of a number of sporting events over the past months.
The AFC Annual Awards " the regional body's biggest yearly function that brings together Asia's leading football officials, players and coaches " is scheduled to be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai on December 2.
The AFC's communications director, Colin Gibson, when asked on Sunday if the glitzy show was still going ahead in Hong Kong, replied: "The Awards are scheduled for Hong Kong on December 2 as planned."
Hong Kong Football Association chief executive Paul Woodland added: "AFC is in communication daily in organising the event. They are obviously monitoring the current climate and at present proceeding with event."
Nominees for AFC Player of the Year (Men)Ali Reza Safarbeiranvand (Persepolis FC)Tomoaki Makino (Urawa Red Diamonds)Akram Hassan Afif (Al Sadd)#AFCAwards2019 pic.twitter.com/kTol2FTG2Z
" AFC (@theafcdotcom) November 16, 2019
Security will be a primary concern for AFC and HKFA officials as they try to ensure the safety of delegates and players who have been nominated for awards. International tennis, squash and golf tournaments, plus two horse racing meetings, have already been cancelled because of often violent street protests, while the Hong Kong Snooker Masters, World Coastal Rowing Championships and Hong Kong Badminton Open are some of the events that have been staged without major incident.
Among the biggest names in the AFC Annual Awards list is South Korean Son Heung-min, who plays for English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur and who is nominated in the AFC Asian International Player of the Year category.
However, the forward has a league game for Spurs two days after the awards ceremony, away to Manchester United, so it is unlikely he will be allowed leave the squad for Hong Kong.
Nominees for AFC Player of the Year (Women)Li Ying (Guangdong Huijun FC)Ashalata Devi Loitongbam (Sethu FC)Saki Kumagai (Olympique Lyonnais)#AFCAwards2019 pic.twitter.com/5neaVdfcvj
" AFC (@theafcdotcom) November 16, 2019
Also nominated with Son are Iran's Sardar Azmoun, of Zenit St Petersburg, and Japan's Makoto Hasebe, who plays for Eintracht Frankfurt and is going for his second straight award.
The men's player of the year nominees are: Ali Reza Safarbeiranvand (Persepolis FC and Iran), Tomoaki Makino (Urawa Red Diamonds and Japan) and Akram Hassan Afif (Al Saad and Qatar).
The women's contenders are: China's Li Ying (Guangdong Huijun FC), India's Ashalata Devi Loitongbam (Sethu FC) and Japan's Saki Kumagai (Olympique Lyonnais).
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Last year's men's winner was Qatar's Abdelkarim Hassan, while China's Wang Shuang took the women's prize.
Japan's Go Oiwa is in line for consecutive coach of the year awards after the Kashima Antlers coach was nominated alongside Urawa Reds' Tsuyoshi Otsuki and South Korea's under-20 coach Chung Jung-yong.
The HKFA is up for two awards " the AFC Member Association of the Year (Developing) and the AFC President Recognition Awards for Grassroots Football (Developing).
The member association award is based on a review of a body's activities and development programmes over the past 12 months. Competing with Hong Kong are the North Korean and Singapore associations.
The HKFA is nominated because of progress made in overall development and community activities, including the opening of the HKFA Jockey Club Football Training Centre in Tseung Kwan O, large-scale competitions for under-10 and under-12 youngsters and the growth of girls' football. The men's senior squad also qualified for the EAFF Finals in December.
The President Recognition Award will pit Hong Kong against India and Singapore. The HKFA can boast progress in youth development, especially at the "golden age" from under-6 to under-12 for boys and girls.
The Summer Scheme programme in 2019 featured more than 11,000 youngsters receiving coaching in a fun environment and taking part in competitions over five weeks.
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