Secretary for Sports Rosanna Law on Saturday said Hong Kong has proved its ability to host major international sports events, having co-hosted the National Games with Macau and Guangdong.

Her comment came after a former International Olympic Committee (IOC) president this month praised Hong Kong's world-class sports facilities, saying the Greater Bay Area (GBA) would be a strong candidate to host the Olympics.

IOC honorary president for life Thomas Bach made the remarks after visiting Kai Tak Sports Park and attending the rugby sevens event at the Games.

Speaking on an RTHK radio programme, Law said that whether the GBA should enter the race to host the Olympics would be a decision for the central government.

However, she noted that the GBA's cluster of cities certainly has the potential to be up to the task.

“We certainly have the capability to host major competitions," Law said.

"This was demonstrated during the National Games and earlier in 2008, when Hong Kong successfully hosted the equestrian events for the Beijing Olympics.

"But there’s still a way to go before we can host the Olympics ourselves.”

“The National Games showed that by joining hands with Guangdong and Macau, we can stage truly outstanding competitions.

"Looking ahead, we can build on this co-operation to organise more large-scale sports events together and aim for an even higher level.”

Regarding efforts to help the Hong Kong men’s handball team find a long-term training ground, Law said the government is actively searching for venues that allow the team to train after work in the evenings.

The handball team has called for more support after recently achieving its best-ever result, coming in fourth in the National Games, with all but one member quitting full-time jobs or taking unpaid leave to compete.

Law said Kai Tak Sports Park administrators had expressed interest in collaborating more closely with the handball team after hosting the sport during the National Games.

This could include allowing them to use the Kai Tak Arena as their home stadium and providing access for training.

Law stressed that, given Hong Kong’s limited land resources, the government will work to better utilise existing facilities.