Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taipei City councilors say the new swimming pool next to the newly inaugurated Taipei Track and Field Stadium doesn’t meet international competition standards.
The organizing committee for the 21st Summer Deaflympics Taipei 2009 spent NT$600 million (US$18.3 million) to build the indoor pool, but with only eight lanes it doesn’t qualify for international competition, which requires 10 lanes.
The committee is planning to rent a pool in Hsinchu County for the Deaflympics but the pool operator has yet to agree to a deal
Taipei City councilors Chuang Jui-hsiung (莊瑞雄) and Chang Mao-nan (張茂楠) said the fault lies with the city, which failed to provide enough practice space in its renovations plans for the stadium. To expand the practice space, the city was forced to reduce the number of lanes in the pool to eight.
Taipei Sports Office Director Fang Chen-kun (房振昆) said the pool became part of the Songshan District sports center after the original design was changed, and was not built for the Deaflympics.
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