The government announced on Monday that tennis and billiards have retained their Tier A sport status for two years, avoiding a downgrade that would result in significant funding cuts.

Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law also announced the promotion of golf as a Tier A sport, and canoeing and para swimming to Tier B status, effective from April 1.

The Elite Sports Committee, overseen by the Sports Commission, reviews athlete performances at major international competitions biennially to determine the amount of support each sport gets from the Hong Kong Sports Institute.

Sports are classified into three levels of Tier A*, Tier A, and Tier B.

Swimming, cycling and table tennis are among the disciplines in the top tier and classified as the ones with the best chances to do well at the Olympic Games, and athletes receive the strongest resources as a result.

Currently, to be classified as Tier A, a sport is required to be included in at least three of the past four or the next two Olympic or Asian Games, which billiards failed to meet.

Speaking to reporters after chairing a Sports Commission meeting, Law said adjustments were made to accommodate sports with unique strengths, including billiards, to stay in the city's elite sports training system.

“We will count from 1997, the year that we started to compete in the name of Hong Kong, China, from then till now at least three times a sport will have to be included in either Olympic or Asian Games," she said. "Billiard sports will meet the criteria upon this adjustment."

As for tennis, the sports minister said officials would also consider results of other major tournaments apart from the Olympics or Asian Games, such as the Grand Slam events.

Law cited the performance of local tennis star Coleman Wong, who is making history at the Miami Open as the first player from Hong Kong to ever record a Masters 1000 win.

"It is an adjustment that is fitting for tennis in which we are also making good performances recently.

"Of course this is a system that is ever-evolving in light of the latest development of the sports sector. And we will continue to see if adjustment is necessary in the future times to come,” she said.

The Sports Commission also agreed to give all elite athletes an 8.3 percent increase in direct government grants starting next month.

Additionally, the minimum monthly grant for full-time athletes will go up from HK$7,130 to HK$10,000.