“I hope more resources will be made available to support elite athletes at all levels,” Cheng said. “One of the most important points is to give them the opportunity to move up… We don’t want them to stay at the entry level.”

In Hong Kong, athletes are supported by the sport’s governing body and the very best enter the HKSI and represent the city internationally.

Of the 35 athletes who represented the city at the Paris Olympic Games, 26 received HKSI Tier A* funding worth between HK$44,500 and HK$50,000 (US$5,700 and HK$6,400) per month. A further seven claim between HK$32,730 and HK$38,540 as Tier A-supported athletes.

However, entry-level athletes only receive about HK$7,000, less than the city’s minimum wage.

Earlier this week, badminton player Lee Cheuk-yiu, who once earned HK$7,000 a month, stressed that many athletes had given up due to little financial support.

In his proposals, Cheng called for a review of this funding, particularly for those at the beginning of their sporting careers, to ensure they remain competitive and view sport as a viable career.

The institute had previously announced that it would review its training funding in September. A corresponding report is to be published early next year. New regulations are also to be implemented in April, as the organization aims to increase grants and adjust the funding threshold.

When asked by the Washington Post whether more government funding should lead to the HKSI publicly discussing its expectations ahead of events such as the Olympics or Asian Games, Cheng said that would be “difficult.”

“It is quite difficult to estimate how many medals we could get, but of course as HKSI members we are all trying to achieve the best results,” he added.

Before the Paris Olympic Games, the Sport Federation and Olympic Committee (SF&OC) refused to set a medal target because it would be “inappropriate”.

Cheng added that he hoped that not only the government but also private companies could provide financial support to athletes. He said that although some athletes benefit from sponsorship and advertising, there must be a way for them to become employees.

He also suggested that the government could grant tax exemptions to private institutions that sponsor celebrity endorsements for active or former athletes.

Among the proposals was a call for a review of the governance of the city’s National Sports Associations (NSA). The SF&OC had previously said it would announce corporate governance guidelines in September to ensure better governance.

When asked what should happen to the NSAs, which have been accused of failing to promote Hong Kong’s sporting development and promote the country’s athletes – such as the governing bodies for swimming, weightlifting, gymnastics and athletics – Cheng did not address the issue directly but said there was “room for improvement”.

“We know that many people have concerns about the governance of sports associations. We believe there is a lot of room for improvement here in the future,” he said.

“We hope that there is a fair system for everyone to become an athlete and that people have equal opportunities to enter that system.”

Other policy proposals included building sports facilities faster than before, renewing broadcasting rights for global events, hosting more events in the city and collaborating with the mainland.

Other areas that need to be improved, according to Cheng, are sports science and medicine, which would benefit both athletes and older people.

In order to encourage the population to exercise and do more sport, the plan states that discounts and vouchers could be offered to the public. In addition, the promotion of a healthy lifestyle should be increased.