The Amateur Sports Federation and Olympic Committee (SF&OC) of Hong Kong was founded in 1949-50 and reorganised as a National Olympic Committee (NOC) in 1951. It changed to its present name of Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China with effect from March 8, 1999. The federation is a member of the International Olympic Committee, the Olympic Council of Asia and the Association of National Olympic Committees and has been responsible for organising Hong Kong's participation in all major multi-sports games such as the Olympic Games, Asian Games, Asian Indoor Games, East Asian Games, and National Games. With a membership of 74 national sports associations (NSAs), it represents the collective voice of the Hong Kong sports community.

Members of the federation are NSAs, which are in turn affiliated to their international federations (IFs) and Asian federations (AFs). They are empowered to coordinate and conduct a wide range of activities related to their sports, from organising sports and recreation programmes for beginners to training elite athletes. They also organise and sanction participation in local and overseas competitions and tournaments and train coaches and referees. NSAs implement and enforce local and international rules and regulations, and they represent Hong Kong in meetings of the IFs and the AFs.

For half a century, the federation has coordinated a comprehensive four-month Festival of Sport, in which over 60 NSAs organise more than 70 sports activities to promote sport for all. It also organises extensive education programmes for sports leaders, administrators, coaches and technical officials free of charge, notably through the Hong Kong Olympic Academy which offers free sports management and sport science courses and programmes.

With the support of sponsors, the federation organises the annual Hong Kong Sports Stars Awards, the 'Oscars' of local sport, to recognise the achievements of top athletes. The 2004 prize presentation was held in conjunction with the federation's annual spring dinner in March 2005. Award winners included table tennis players Ko Lai Chak and Li Ching who won the silver medal of the men's doubles at the Athens Olympic Games — a first for Hong Kong.

Since December 1, 2004, the federation has been entrusted by the Government to manage the Sports House, which was renamed Olympic House after International Olympic Committee President Count Jacques Rogge's formal visit in July. Housed next to the Hong Kong Stadium, the President Office, Secretariat of the federation and 46 sports organisations, including NSAs and local clubs, are now under the same roof and at the hub of sports administration in Hong Kong.