Pressure mounted yesterday on Chinese Taipei Baseball Association (CTBA) chairman Liao Cheng-ching (廖正井) to step down, while the Taiwan Professional Baseball Players’ Association called for transparency and more rigorous scrutiny of the national body amid Liao’s feud with the Lamigo Monkeys club.
The feud continued during a television appearance on Tuesday, with the discussion centered on the national team’s performance at the World Baseball Classic (WBC) — where they were eliminated last week after losing all three games in the first round.
There have been calls for wholesale changes to sports regulations in response to the losses.
Liao, a former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislator, said that the Monkeys’ boycott of the WBC was to blame for the losses.
Taiwanese baseballers have an obligation to fight for the nation’s honor on the international stage and should only do so under CTBA management, he said.
“The players were developed by the CTBA from the little leagues through youth-level circuits,” Liao said. “Their pro careers are due to the financial support and resources of the CTBA.”
Liao said the Taoyuan International Stadium — the Monkeys’ home ground — was obtained due to his efforts.
“I secured that plot of land when I was deputy commissioner of Taoyuan County,” Liao said. “When I was a legislator, I obtained the funds to construct the stadium. The Lamigo ballclub did not build the stadium and the players do not belong to the ballclub.”
“The government provides plenty of incentives for pro baseball organizations, including exemptions on entertainment and business taxes, and subsidies for Winter League games,” he said. “With the government giving out so many favors, how can you refuse to participate when the nation calls on your players?”
Netizens criticized Liao, saying his arrogant manner was grounds to demand that he resign immediately.
A netizen using the name “Wiwi” said that young players are primarily supported by their parents and schools, not the CTBA.
“Liao is deceiving the public by exaggerating the CTBA’s role in development of the game at the grassroots level,” Wiwi said.
Other netizens said that Liao’s attitude was typical of a KMT official, taking public funds in the form of government subsidies, but claiming credit for the CTBA.
“The CTBA shows its villainous nature by implying that everything related to baseball in Taiwan is the property of the CTBA and making slaves out of the players,” netizen “Jacky336” wrote.
Others said the Taoyuan ballpark was poorly designed, with the stadium prone to flooding and batters facing the setting sun at evening games.
Improvements were made only after Lamigo took over the management of the facility, they said.
“Liao has no shame whatsoever. The KMT is full of these kinds of politicians, who meddle with Taiwanese baseball and ruin it,” netizen “Happy Hsu” wrote.
Meanwhile, the players’ union seemed to side with fans, calling for legislators to expedite the process to amend sports regulations requiring governing bodies to be financially accountable, transparent and open to athletes and professionals.
A protest to “save Taiwanese baseball” initiated by fans was also postponed from Saturday to a week later after organizers said they have received an enthusiastic response and expect a bigger turnout, requiring extra time to prepare.
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