Over the past few days, netizens have engaged in a heated debate over which men’s water polo team to root for at the Taipei Summer Universiade.
The main point of contention: Which team has the best-looking players?
The debate began on Facebook after the Netherlands Trade and Investment Office in Taipei two days ago posted a video of Dutch water polo players jumping into a pool from a side angle, declaring in Chinese that if the page receives more than 10,000 fans as a result, more would be posted.
Photo: Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
As of press time last night, the video had more than 63,000 views and fans of the page numbered 8,899, with the post being described as a brilliant marketing campaign.
However, with Facebook users posted more photographs of water polo athletes, the competition has intensified.
The Italy team began to attract even more attention.
“If there was any justice in the world, the Italian team could not be so good-looking?” Web celeb Rob Lo said of a group photo of the team, adding that those who bought tickets to see the Netherlands in response to its campaign should “be distraught, sigh and cry.”
Others were backing the South Korea team, whose pictures and news reports have also made a splash.
“My friend sent me this news in the morning. This kind of friend, you can count on your whole life,” netizen danny0425 said, adding that some of the players are so attractive they could get roles in a South Korean soap opera.
As for the competition in the water, it was the women who were in action yesterday.
In Group B, Australia defeated Greece 10-3, the US won 15-4 over France and Italy trounced Argentina 20-4 at the Songshan Sports Center in Taipei.
In men’s Group A matches at the Hsinchu County Natatorium today, South Korea face the UK in the first match at 9am before Taiwan play France. The Netherlands face Argentine, while Italy are to play Australia.
In men’s soccer results from yesterday, in Group D Argentina defeated South Korea 2-1, while Ukraine beat South Africa 2-0.
In Group B, Japan beat Malaysia 2-0 and Uruguay beat Canada 2-0.
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