BAT Sponsors Hong Kong Football (fwd)

[Robert Weissman <rob@essential.org>]

 South China Morning Post
 Saturday April 24 1999

 Soccer 
 Sponsor bolsters
 coaching scheme 

 UNUS ALLADIN 
 British American Tobacco's (BAT) $1 million donation
 to the Hong Kong Football Association's (HKFA)
 coffers will be used to help raise local coaching and
 refereeing standards.

 The tobacco giant donated the sum to help
 commemorate 29 years of BAT sponsorship in the
 now-defunct Viceroy Cup. BAT will also sponsor
 tomorrow's Viceroy Foundation Challenge Cup at
 Mongkok Stadium, which is an exhibition match
 between South China and the rest of the league, to the
 tune of $100,000.

 The winning team will take home $50,000, while the
 other $50,000 will go to the coaches and referee
 foundation. Gate receipts generated from tomorrow's
 match will also go towards the foundation.

 HKFA chairman Victor Hui Chun-fui said: "All the
 senior clubs are happy and grateful with this sum
 because we will be able to improve the standard of our
 referees and coaches by sending them abroad for
 training. It's a boost for Hong Kong soccer."

 South China, who on Thursday defeated Yee Hope 1-0
 to force a play-off with Happy Valley for the league title,
 were the last team to win the Viceroy Cup, which was
 the SAR's most prestigious domestic soccer tournament.

 The Viceroy Cup was cancelled last year when the
 Government got tough with tobacco sponsorship in
 sport.

 The Government's anti-tobacco law comes into effect in
 July.

 Meanwhile, Instant-Dict's exhibition match against
 Chelsea will be played on May 22 at the Hong Kong
 Stadium after the Londoners were knocked out in the
 semi-finals of the European Cup-Winners' Cup.

 Holders Chelsea were beaten 1-0 by Spanish side Real
 Mallorca in the second leg in Mallorca after a 1-1 draw
 at Stamford Bridge.

 Instant-Dict had reserved May 25 as an alternative date
 if Chelsea had reached the last European Cup-Winners'
 Cup final.