Top cyclist Sarah Lee unlikely to face disciplinary action after social media comment supporting protest draws complaints

• Sports Institute receives complaints from netizens who are demanding she stop training and competing until she explains herself
• It is not the first time the double world champion has been mired in controversy after similar posting in June

The Hong Kong Sports Institute will not take disciplinary action against top cyclist Sarah Lee Wai-sze after the world-class rider made comments on National Day on social media, which many people have interpreted as "supporting the anti-government movement".

The Fo Tan training body received complaints on Wednesday after the reigning world track cycling champion posted on Facebook that "we have to be careful to avoid the rain today (Tuesday). If you don't bring an umbrella, you better go home early".

There was no rain yesterday and many of the complainants accused Lee of supporting the protesters who took to the streets trying to upstage Beijing's National Day celebrations on October 1. Protesters held unauthorised demonstrations with violence quickly breaking out in districts across the city, engaging in some of the bloodiest and most sustained clashes with police since the protest began in early June.

The post, however, has since been removed after it is believed that Lee was asked to suspend her account late on Tuesday after many pro-government organisations took issue with it.

One of the complainants said Lee should feel "ashamed of herself as an athlete representing Hong Kong, China on the international stage" and demanded the institute thoroughly investigate the matter. They also want an explanation from Lee as to why she made the remarks. The complainants said the cyclist should stop training and competition until she offers an explanation, while others said she should be stripped of her athlete's status and not allowed to represent Hong Kong again.

The complainants said they had copied the complaint to the General Administration of Sport and China Central Television (CCTV).

A spokesman for the Sports Institute said they would not comment on Lee's case, arguing it was her "personal business" and that no action would be taken against her as "there are no grounds for saying her comments had anything to do with the protest."

Lee also drew support from pro-democracy supporters, with some saying she showed true Hong Kong spirit. It is not the first time Lee's comments on social media has drawn controversy.

When a large number of protesters surrounded the Legislative Council in Wan Chai on June 12, Lee wrote in Chinese characters on her Facebook page " which translates to "Come On". Lee, however, gave no explanation for her comment.

The cyclist, who won two gold medals at the track world championships earlier this year in Poland, is widely considered Hong Kong's best medal hope at next year's Tokyo Olympic Games.

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