394 Recreation, Sport and the Arts
disabled people, and through the years has been steadily developing a training programme to cater to all levels of ability.
Athletes took part in many international competitions during the year and made the most of these events to sharpen their skills. Highlights included the 2008 Daegu International Adaptive Indoor Rowing Competition in Korea at which Hong Kong won one gold medal; the 4th INAS-FID Open European Swimming Championships in Poland at which Hong Kong won 13 gold, nine silver and nine bronze medals; the 4th INAS-FID Open European Table Tennis Championships in Spain at which Hong Kong won five gold, three silver and four bronze medals.
Hong Kong athletes also achieved excellent results at the 2008 Special Olympics. East Asia Regional Games in Macao, the 2008 Special Olympics East Asia Regional Golf Competition in Korea, the 2008 Special Olympics East Asia Regional Table Tennis Competition in Chinese Taipei and the 2008 Special Olympics China National Football Competition and Special Olympics East Asia Regional Soccer Competition in China. A total of 99 medals, comprising 44 gold, 32 silver and 23 bronze were won by the intellectually disabled athletes during the year.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club has become one of the world's largest and most respected racing organisations. It is Hong Kong's only authorised operator of horse racing, managing racecourses at Happy Valley and Sha Tin as well as three public riding schools. The club also operates the Mark Six lottery and offers betting on overseas football matches.
The club is Hong Kong's largest single taxpayer, contributing $13.12 billion to the public purse in 2007-08, or about 6.5 per cent of all taxes collected during the year. It is also one of the city's largest employers, with nearly 25 000 full- and part-time staff.
In addition, the club is a major community benefactor, operating under a unique, not-for-profit business model, with its surpluses given to charity. In 2007-08 it donated more than $1.05 billion to some 100 local charity and community projects through the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust.
The club works closely with the Government to promote responsible gambling policies and to tackle illegal betting. During the year, the club received a Responsible Gaming Award from the World Lottery Association, honouring its employee training programme as the industry's best worldwide. Reforms to the horse race betting duty structure since 2006 have achieved some success in helping the club regain revenue from illegal and offshore bookmakers, but this remains a matter of concern. Further discussions are now under way on an easing of tax and regulatory measures that could enhance the club's competitiveness in the light of a growing number of alternative gambling opportunities in the region.
As well as addressing current and longer-term social challenges through its donations, the club is proactive in responding to emergency needs in Hong Kong and the Mainland. Following both the severe snowstorms that hit several Mainland
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