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Retired athletes should join the civil service as "very few people" in the administration are familiar with sports, former sports commissioner Yeung Tak-keung said.

Yeung made the call a day after his term ended with authorities not being able to find a suitable successor within the government. A public recruitment drive is still going on.

The 61-year-old - an amateur athlete in football and handball - was an administrative officer before being appointed as the SAR's first sports commissioner since 2016 and then saw his tenure extended twice.

Leaving ahead of the expected completion of the SAR's flagship Kai Tak Sports Park next year, he said "I will come back to the park as a fan to cheer for athletes."

On the search for a successor, Yeung said "there are limitations because different departments have different work preferences. They often don't know much about sports, nor can they think from the perspective of sports development."

"I hope more athletes can join the government after retirement, regardless of whether they're civil servants, contractors or engaged in any form of work."

He said the so-called "0+3" arrangement for new arrivals involving three days of medical surveillance is attractive enough for overseas athletes but he admits the restriction may not appeal to tourists who come to watch sports events.

On plans for a second sports park in Whitehead in Ma On Shan, Yeung said it will come with facilities for less popular sports like cricket, baseball and skating that can accommodate tens of thousands of spectators, but construction will likely only begin after 2025.

Sports chief rues lack of talent