Hong Kong hits back at Italy’s protest against fencer Cheung’s win with posts on pineapple pizza

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Category: Sports

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Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. blunder / ˈblʌn dər / (n.) – a big or serious mistake, often made by not taking care or thinking
    Example:

    The soccer player’s blunder during the final match led to the other team scoring a goal and winning the game.


  2. bout / baʊt / (n.) – a match where two players or teams compete against each other, usually in sports, like boxing, fencing, and wrestling
    Example:

    The fencing bout lasted for fifteen minutes and was very exciting to watch.


  3. deciding / dɪˈsaɪ dɪŋ / (adj.) – describing something that helps make a final choice or decision
    Example:

    The referee’s deciding call in the final round changed the outcome of the fight.


  4. stoppage / ˈstɒp ɪdʒ / (n.) – a stop or break in something, like a game or activity
    Example:

    The sports event had to be paused multiple times due to stoppages caused by technical issues.


  5. grievance / ˈgri vəns / (n.) – a strong feeling of being treated unfairly or that something is wrong and unpleasant
    Example:

    The workers had many grievances about their working conditions and decided to speak with their boss.


Article

Read the text below.

Hong Kong fencer Cheung Ka-long’s victory over Italy’s Filippo Macchi at the Paris Olympics has sparked an exchange of insults on social media, with Cheung’s supporters celebrating his win with posts about pineapple pizzas—widely considered a culinary blunder in Italian cooking.


Cheung made Hong Kong history in July by beating Macchi 15-14 in the men’s foil. That triumph made Cheung, who had won the Tokyo Games in 2021, the first Hong Konger to bag two gold medals.


The bout required three stoppages for video reviews to determine the deciding point as the fencing machine registered scores from both fencers at about the same time. The final point was eventually awarded to Cheung, sparking protests from the Italian side.


The Italian Fencing Federation said in a statement that it would file a complaint to the International Olympic Committee and the International Fencing Federation about what it called “unacceptable” refereeing.


Italy’s Olympic Committee President Giovanni Malagò suggested the selection of referees was problematic, saying “the two judges were from Taipei and Korea in a final between Italy and Hong Kong.”


Macchi’s supporters also left comments on Cheung’s Instagram account to express their grievances. One comment alleged that Cheung’s championship was “robbed” and Macchi should be the final winner.


In a mockery response, Hong Kongers replied with comments on Instagram about their love for pineapple pizza to defend Cheung and said they would have a lot of pineapple pizzas to celebrate the win.


Pizza Hut in Hong Kong and neighboring gambling city Macao also offered free pineapple toppings on any pizzas when dining at its branches on July 30 and 31 to celebrate the victory.


But Macchi eventually earned respect from some Hong Kongers after he posted on his Instagram to say that he knows both referees and he did not want to point a finger at them for his loss. He added their decisions have to be respected.


Cheung’s win also marked the first time Hong Kong has secured two gold medals in the same Olympics.


This article was provided by The Associated Press.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • Hong Kong fencer Cheung Ka-long’s win at the Paris Olympics led to online insults, with his supporters celebrating by posting about pineapple pizza, which is disliked in Italy. What do you think about mockery responses from fans (ex. it’s only normal, it’s too much)? How do people in your country celebrate international victories such as sports? How do people in your country react to losses? Discuss.
  • In your opinion, how does winning an international sports event affect a nation (ex. it promotes unity, it inspires many people)? Do you think sports victories lead to positive changes in society? Why do you think so? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • In what ways do you think social media has changed how people follow and support sports teams (ex. it made it easier to follow sports news, it made it easier to connect with other sports fans)? Do you think social media has made sports more competitive? Why do you think so? Discuss.
  • Why do you think people argue so passionately about sports online (ex. because of their love for the sport, because of their loyalty to the team/athlete)? How do you think these arguments impact the way people enjoy sports? How do you think they impact the athletes or teams? Discuss.