Legends of sport unite for groundbreaking mental health and wellbeing forum
Sporting superstars from across three continents united for the Laureus Sport for Good Mental Health & Wellbeing Forum, funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust.
The multi-day event, held at various sites across Hong Kong, China, from Thursday 20th to Sunday 23rd of February, included a Forum bringing together community partners, athletes, mental health and wellbeing experts and key stakeholders, to discuss the role of sport in building confidence and resilience in young people. The Forum built on Laureus’ Model City Hong Kong programme which, since 2020, has supported local organisations to tackle these issues through the use of sport and physical activity.
A global array of athletes took part in the Forum, with Chinese Olympic speed skating champion Yang Yang in attendance, alongside fellow Laureus World Sports Academy Members Steve Waugh – the Australian cricketing great – and eight-time world squash champion Nicol David. Also present were Laureus Ambassador and double Olympic cycling gold medallist Victoria Pendleton, as well as Sean Dyche, former manager of English professional football teams Everton and Burnley and a member of the Laureus-partnered League Managers Association.
The schedule of events began with a school visit on Thursday, February 20, which celebrated Laureus’ longstanding partnership with the Hong Kong Elite Athletes’ Association. Local elite athletes attending included Laureus Ambassador and Hong Kong’s four-time Olympic swimming medallist Siobhan Haughey, iconic boxing athlete Rex Tso and star jockey Derek Leung.
On Friday, The Park Lane Hotel hosted the Forum itself, uniting sporting ambassadors, changemakers, athletes and students for a series of leadership and discussion panels. More than 1,000 people attended the Forum, making it the largest in-person sport for good gathering Hong Kong, China has witnessed, from industry experts to young people and other community participants.
A global array of athletes took part in the Forum, with Chinese Olympic speed skating champion Yang Yang in attendance, alongside fellow Laureus World Sports Academy Members Steve Waugh – the Australian cricketing great – and eight-time world squash champion Nicol David. Also present were Laureus Ambassador and double Olympic cycling gold medallist Victoria Pendleton, as well as Sean Dyche, former manager of English professional football teams Everton and Burnley and a member of the Laureus-partnered League Managers Association.
The schedule of events began with a school visit on Thursday, February 20, which celebrated Laureus’ longstanding partnership with the Hong Kong Elite Athletes’ Association. Local elite athletes attending included Laureus Ambassador and Hong Kong’s four-time Olympic swimming medallist Siobhan Haughey, iconic boxing athlete Rex Tso and star jockey Derek Leung.
On Friday, The Park Lane Hotel hosted the Forum itself, uniting sporting ambassadors, changemakers, athletes and students for a series of leadership and discussion panels. More than 1,000 people attended the Forum, making it the largest in-person sport for good gathering Hong Kong, China has witnessed, from industry experts to young people and other community participants.
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The Forum represented the first in-person event of its kind, building on the success of a virtual Mental Health Forum held in Hong Kong in December 2020, and demonstrating Laureus’ long-term commitment to mental health and wellbeing in the region. This year’s event focused on the knowledge, technical insights and learning opportunities necessary to support youth mental health and wellbeing in the region and beyond.
Based around three ‘pillars’ – learning, changemakers and catalyst – the Forum highlighted Hong Kong, China as a world leader in using sport to address the social challenges faced by young people by utilising Laureus’ global network to share knowledge and best practice. The event also highlighted The Hong Kong Jockey Club as a leading global partner in tackling inclusivity and accessibility issues within the region.
The Forum consisted of an interactive set of discussions covering a range of content over a series of panels. Topics included professionals’ perspectives on overcoming adversity through sport, sport and body confidence, involving women and girls in sport, and the impact of mental health and physical activity as a tool to build resilience.
Panels incorporated breakout sessions, allowing participants to share their knowledge and experience of the topics discussed. In order to foster the skills and confidence of attendees, practical activity sessions and workshops were also built into the programme.
Based around three ‘pillars’ – learning, changemakers and catalyst – the Forum highlighted Hong Kong, China as a world leader in using sport to address the social challenges faced by young people by utilising Laureus’ global network to share knowledge and best practice. The event also highlighted The Hong Kong Jockey Club as a leading global partner in tackling inclusivity and accessibility issues within the region.
The Forum consisted of an interactive set of discussions covering a range of content over a series of panels. Topics included professionals’ perspectives on overcoming adversity through sport, sport and body confidence, involving women and girls in sport, and the impact of mental health and physical activity as a tool to build resilience.
Panels incorporated breakout sessions, allowing participants to share their knowledge and experience of the topics discussed. In order to foster the skills and confidence of attendees, practical activity sessions and workshops were also built into the programme.
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Following the Forum, a ‘Festival of Sport’ took place on Saturday, February 22nd and Sunday February 23rd, at Airside Hong Kong, bringing together athletes and participants through a series of workshops. The Festival drew together concepts discussed at the Forum, bringing the discussions to life through ‘Sport for Good’ clinics with local young people.
The multi-day event was part of Laureus’ year-round calendar of events within the region. This collaborative, multi-stakeholder programme is instrumental in improving youth mental health and wellbeing in Hong Kong through sport.
The multi-day event was part of Laureus’ year-round calendar of events within the region. This collaborative, multi-stakeholder programme is instrumental in improving youth mental health and wellbeing in Hong Kong through sport.
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Robbie McRobbie, Executive Manager, Charities (Sports) of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, said: “The Hong Kong Jockey Club is an organisation that has long recognised the power of sport to positively impact both individuals and society. Mental health and wellbeing, particularly of our youth, is a critical issue, and this event is a valuable opportunity to bring together both local and international stakeholders to share knowledge and best practice.”
Laureus Academy Member Yang Yang, said: “Laureus has become more than a stakeholder in Sport for Good in our region. This Forum showed that we can act as the network, both locally and globally, creating platforms such as this for the sharing of knowledge that will supercharge development in this sector. But to do that we need partners, and we are fortunate to share this mission with The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and the Hong Kong Elite Athletes’ Association, who are key supporters of this project.”
Laureus Academy Member Steve Waugh, said: "In my 20 years as a Member of the Laureus World Sports Academy, I have visited Hong Kong many times and I have seen our work with our partners here have a huge impact on generations of young people."
Laureus Academy Member Yang Yang, said: “Laureus has become more than a stakeholder in Sport for Good in our region. This Forum showed that we can act as the network, both locally and globally, creating platforms such as this for the sharing of knowledge that will supercharge development in this sector. But to do that we need partners, and we are fortunate to share this mission with The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and the Hong Kong Elite Athletes’ Association, who are key supporters of this project.”
Laureus Academy Member Steve Waugh, said: "In my 20 years as a Member of the Laureus World Sports Academy, I have visited Hong Kong many times and I have seen our work with our partners here have a huge impact on generations of young people."
"In 2025, we know that mental health is at the core of our mission to use sport to improve the lives of these kids, and this Forum has helped to get everyone on the same team to make that mission a success."
Laureus Academy Member Nicol David, said: “Hong Kong has always been a special place for me. I won my first world championship here and that really was the start of my journey – a journey that has brought me back here many times as a Laureus World Sports Academy Member. By doing so I have been able to give back to a place that was so generous to me in those early years of my career. Our focus at this Forum was the mental health of the young people in our programmes. My advice to them? Sport can provide you with a pure focus: you are in the moment, outside of all your thoughts and worries. But you have to give it your all!"
Football manager and League Managers Association member Sean Dyche, said: “During my career I have learned about the importance of our athletes’ mental health; maintaining and improving their wellbeing is one of the cornerstones of any manager’s job. The partnership between the League Managers Association and Laureus is exporting all our expertise in this area – and the resources we use in the Premier League and elsewhere – to grassroots sport all over the world. It’s a perfect example of using sport for good and I enjoyed communicating that to this groundbreaking Forum in Hong Kong, China.”
Laureus Ambassador Victoria Pendleton, said: “I was proud to be a part of this Forum as we brought together stakeholders and decision-makers across Sport for Good in the region, to share best practice and co-ordinate strategy in using sport to combat a potential mental health crisis among young people. I appreciate how powerful sport can be in improving good mental health. It has certainly affected me both personally and as a Trustee to the Wave Project, a fantastic surf therapy programme that has transformed the lives of so many young people who have participated. I believe in the importance of sport when it comes to the well-being of children, and I believe this Forum will increase the impact of Sport for Good in this crucial area.”
Football manager and League Managers Association member Sean Dyche, said: “During my career I have learned about the importance of our athletes’ mental health; maintaining and improving their wellbeing is one of the cornerstones of any manager’s job. The partnership between the League Managers Association and Laureus is exporting all our expertise in this area – and the resources we use in the Premier League and elsewhere – to grassroots sport all over the world. It’s a perfect example of using sport for good and I enjoyed communicating that to this groundbreaking Forum in Hong Kong, China.”
Laureus Ambassador Victoria Pendleton, said: “I was proud to be a part of this Forum as we brought together stakeholders and decision-makers across Sport for Good in the region, to share best practice and co-ordinate strategy in using sport to combat a potential mental health crisis among young people. I appreciate how powerful sport can be in improving good mental health. It has certainly affected me both personally and as a Trustee to the Wave Project, a fantastic surf therapy programme that has transformed the lives of so many young people who have participated. I believe in the importance of sport when it comes to the well-being of children, and I believe this Forum will increase the impact of Sport for Good in this crucial area.”
