Taichung Mayor Jason Hu (胡志強) said yesterday that his city wants to seek the right to host the 13th Youth World Baseball Championship (YWBC) after the championship series was canceled because the Taiwan team was refused visas to enter Venezuela, the host country.
The Switzerland-based International Baseball Federation (IBAF) canceled the Caracas tournament on Tuesday after the host country succumbed to pressure from China to refuse to grant visas to the Taiwanese baseballers. The tournament was originally scheduled to open today.
Hu said that canceling an international championship on the eve of its opening is a serious matter and that such a situation has never happened since the YWBC's first tournament was held in Japan in 1989.
The shambles in Venezuela reflects the universal principle that "politics should not affect sports," Hu said, expressing his appreciation for the IBAF's just handling of the situation.
Speaking about the central city's desire to host the 13th YWBC, which will be postponed for 12 months while the IBAF finds another venue for the tournament, Hu said Taichung is on the IBAF's priority list of possible host cities, after his city hosted the IBAF Intercontinental Cup tournament last year.
Japan and South Korea have also expressed their interest in hosting the international youth event.
Hu said August was not a good month to hold the tournament in Taiwan because of the hot weather, suggesting the IBAF hold the competition during the winter.
The mayor also said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should grant visas to the Venezuelan team should it be invited to attend the games if they are held in Taiwan, reiterating his call for no political interference in sport.
Aftershocks from a magnitude 6.2 earthquake that struck off Yilan County at 3:45pm yesterday could reach a magnitude of 5 to 5.5, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Seismological Center technical officer Chiu Chun-ta (邱俊達) told a news conference that the epicenter of the temblor was more than 100km from Taiwan. Although predicted to measure between magnitude 5 and 5.5, the aftershocks would reach an intensity of 1 on Taiwan’s 7-tier scale, which gauges the actual effect of an earthquake, he said. The earthquake lasted longer in Taipei because the city is in a basin, he said. The quake’s epicenter was about 128.9km east-southeast
GENSLER SURVEY: ‘Economic infrastructure is not enough. A city needs to inspire pride, offer moments of joy and foster a sense of belonging,’ the company said Taipei was named the city with the “highest staying power” in the world by US-based design and architecture firm Gensler. The Taiwanese capital earned the top spot among 65 cities across six continents with 64 percent of Taipei respondents in a survey of 33,000 people saying they wanted to stay in the city. Rounding out the top five were Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City (61 percent), Singapore (59 percent), Sydney (58 percent) and Berlin (51 percent). Sixth to 10th place went to Monterrey, Mexico; Munich, Germany; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Vancouver; and Seoul. Cities in the US were ranked separately, with Minneapolis first at
The New Taipei City Government today warned about the often-overlooked dangers of playing in water, and recommended safe swimming destinations to cool off from the summer heat. The following locations in the city as safe and fun for those looking to enjoy the water: Chienshuiwan (淺水灣), Baishawan (白沙灣), Jhongjiao Bay (中角灣), Fulong Beach Resort (福隆海水浴場) and Sansia District’s (三峽) Dabao River (大豹溪), New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department Director-General Yang Tsung-min (楊宗珉) said. Outdoor bodies of water have variables outside of human control, such as changing currents, differing elevations and environmental hazards, all of which can lead to accidents, Yang said. Sudden
Tropical Storm Podul has formed over waters north-northeast of Guam and is expected to approach the seas southeast of Taiwan next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said today. The 11th Pacific storm of the year developed at 2am over waters about 2,660km east of Oluanpi (歐鑾鼻), Pingtung County — Taiwan's southernmost tip. It is projected to move westward and could have its most significant impact on Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday next week, the CWA said. The agency did not rule out the possibility of issuing a sea warning at that time. According to the CWA's latest update, Podul is drifting west-northwest
RSS