"Yes, some of the athletes use Chinese medicine concoctions, but we strongly recommend against it because you're never totally sure of what ingredients are used," Chen said. "There's very little leeway and the regulations are very strict, so are especially concerned about it this time," he said, pointing to a novella-sized rules book by the World Anti-Doping Agency, which was commissioned by the International Olympic Committee to enforce the Games' anti-performance enhancement drug policies.
The agency's regulations state that if three athletes from one country test positive for performance-enhancing substances then the entire team will be ejected.
To avoid any embarrassing mishaps, the Taiwanese athletes at Tsuoying are watched closely. Their diets are filled with meat, eggs and tuna -- essentially the same diet that the team will be eating at the Olympic Village, where all 5,000 participating athletes and delegation members will live during the duration of the Games. The Olympics commissioned out its cafeteria services to the US company Aramark for the 14th time since the 1968 Games in Mexico City. With that kind of experience, their team of cooks makes what Chen called "decent international food."
"Some of the athletes will take instant noodles, though, just in case," he said. "Otherwise they simply don't feel full."
Whether the diet, plus instant noodles and training will be enough to lift Taiwan to first-place glory remains to be seen. Taiwan's athletes will be competing each day of the Games and its strongest events are spread out throughout the 16 days of competition.
If a Taiwanese athlete does strike gold, crowds will get to listen to the ROC flag song, not the national anthem, as per regulations regarding Taiwan's participation in the Games. The use of the flag song is the down-side of the compromise with the International Olympic Committee that allowed Taiwan to appear in the opening ceremony under the letter T. Nonetheless, having it ring out at an award ceremony would still be a cause for joy, signaling as it would a gold medal.
"Wow, that would be a first," Chen said.
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