The ex-coach of champion Hong Kong hurdler Vera Lui has been arrested for indecent assault, some two months after the athlete posted a #metoo account revealing the alleged abuse.
According to reports, 76-year-old Wong Hung was detained by officers on Sunday upon returning to Hong Kong International Airport from a trip.
Hk01 wrote that Wong, feeling unwell, was first taken to hospital. He has since been released on bail with orders to report to police.
The suspect worked for the Hong Kong Amateur Athletic Association and the Watson Athletic Club, but has been kicked out following Lui’s revelation, The Standard reported.
He was also suspended from a coaching role at Pui Ching school, where Lui was a student.
The revelations came to light in November, when Lui described the alleged abuse in Facebook post as part of the “me too” movement, which has seen countless women share experiences of sexual assault, harassment and misconduct online.
Her post — which coincided with her 23rd birthday — claimed that her former coach touched her inappropriately during a massage when she was 13 or 14.
Lui did not name the coach in the post. She said she was inspired to come forward after reading about the experience of US Olympic gymnast McKayla Maroney, who alleged that USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar repeatedly molested her, starting when she was 13 years old.
Nassar was last week sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison on multiple counts of criminal sexual conduct. More than 150 women and girls came forward in court to accuse him of assaulting them.
Lui, dubbed the “Queen of Hurdles,” is a member of Hong Kong’s track and field youth team and recently won Hong Kong’s first gold medal in the women’s 60-meter hurdles at the Asian Indoor Games in Ashgabat, Turkey.
After posting about her experience, she said she hoped more victims of abuse would be encouraged to come forward.
