The deputy secretary for justice on Saturday said the government will launch the pilot scheme for sports dispute resolution at the end of this year.

Horace Cheung told an RTHK radio programme that preparation work was almost complete and that the government would soon be sending out requests for a sports arbitration group.

"The pilot scheme will last for two or three years. So we need to look for a group to help us manage it. Therefore we shall issue an invitation in June and we hope that interested arbitration groups will submit proposals as soon as possible. Members of the working group will then help us select a suitable organisation to manage the scheme," he said.

Cheung said that, in addition to a strong track record, the arbitration group would also have to have close contact with the sports sector and be able to promote sports dispute resolution both domestically and abroad.

The deputy justice chief said commercial sporting disputes, such as those related to athletes' contracts and portrait rights, were unlikely to be covered by government subsidies under the scheme.