An alleged game-rigging scandal involving the dmedia T-Rex team in the Chinese Professional Baseball League recently surfaced. Players were questioned by prosecutors, while team managers are also under suspicion. Taiwan has seen repeated game-fixing scandals, but they used to involve only players. Although fans have been hurt by the latest scandal, they have given baseball teams another chance.
Fairness, which is strongly emphasized in competitive sports, not only gives athletes a sense of honor, but the competition itself also creates other lofty values beyond winning or losing, and thus lets the audiences share in the glory. This is why fans keep returning to watch the game.
However, when the fairness of the entire sport is placed in doubt, when both players and managers are suspected of cheating, the honor of the whole enterprise dissipates; players no longer respect their industry and fans lose interest.
Frequent game-rigging cases have disappointed fans and left them apathetic. How could they ever be expected to show their enthusiasm again?
Precisely in the same way that competitive sports inspire people, the nation’s leaders should create a sense of honor that can be shared by the public, and they should arouse a sense of honor in public servants who can then lead the public toward building a sense of honor belonging to the nation as a whole.
However, former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), who apparently deceived the public for many years, used to say in all sincerity that “you should behave in a way that is compatible with what you are” while he allegedly secretly engaged in irregularities.
Worse yet, the former head of the Investigation Bureau, Yeh Sheng-mao (葉盛茂), who was responsible for fighting crime, has been linked to Chen’s scandal.
Collusion between government officials is similar to the collusion among teams in the latest baseball scandal. The confidence of the public in the government has been considerably eroded by corruption cases.
The first national day after the second transition of power has just passed. Although the splendor and dazzle of the gala could have kindled public passion, fundamentally we still hope that the person in power is able to learn from the past and exercise the needed responsibility in governing the country, restoring and holding onto fundamental social values.
Maybe this could help revive long-lost justice and rekindle a sense of public honor.
Chin Chi-chin is professor of science application and dissemination and dean of the College of Science at National Taichung University.
TRANSLATED BY TED YANG
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