The department administers a subsidy scheme to help sports associations organise events, training programmes and competitions to foster the 'Sport-for-All' concept and to provide enjoyment for spectators. In 2003, the department spent $38 million subsidising 5,524 sports programmes, which attracted more than 530,000 participants. Some of the most popular events were the youth football scheme, the new generation table-tennis training courses, the youth windsurfing promotion scheme, and the youth wushu training scheme 2003/2004.

Basketball superstar Yao Ming playing against the Melbourne Tigers at the Hong Kong International Basketball Challenge 2003.

Through the subsidy scheme, the department also subsidised NSAs to organise large-scale competitions such as the 2003 Hong Kong Marathon, the 12^th Super Kung Sheung Cup He Yuan Basketball Invitation Championships and the Jockey Club 3^rd INAS-FID World Swimming Championships. These major international events reinforced Hong Kong's status as one of the region's leading centres for sports. In response to the 'Relaunch Hong Kong Campaign', the department also assisted the NSAs in organising a series of 14 mega sports events covering all popular sports. Attendances at these events broke all previous records. The programme included the Hong Kong International Basketball Challenge 2003, the Real Madrid Asia Tour 2003-Hong Kong, the Euro-Asia Snooker Masters Challenge, the Women's World Cup Table-tennis, the Hong Kong Open Badminton Championships and the Tennis Champions Challenge. They were also watched by millions of people through local and world-wide TV coverage. The organisation of these prestigious world-class events not only raised the sports status of Hong Kong, but helped restore the confidence of the international community in the city as a tourist and business centre.

An excellent performance at the International Super Stars Diving and Synchronised Swimming Extravaganza.

An exciting competition at the World Women's Squash Open 2003.