The 2020 Tokyo Olympics are now history. Yet, no one can locate “Chinese Taipei” on the map. Here are some facts about the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, “Chinese Taipei” and Taiwan:
Fact No. 1: “The Games are not about politics.” The IOC has said that the Games are to “build a better world through sport” and are apolitical. One of the IOC oaths states that members are to “comply with the code of ethics ... [and] keep ... from any political … influence ... [and] ... to fight against all ... discrimination.”
In an op-ed in the Guardian on Oct. 23 last year, IOC president Thomas Bach wrote: “The Olympic Games are not about politics. The International Olympic Committee ... is strictly politically neutral at all times.”
Fact No. 2: “Chinese Taipei” versus “Taiwan.” In a 2018 voter referendum, Taiwanese rejected, 55 percent to 45 percent, changing their Olympic representation name from “Chinese Taipei” to “Taiwan.” Days prior to the vote, the IOC issued a not-so-subtle statement insinuating that if Taiwanese voted to change the name, the IOC would have had the right to suspend or withdraw the Taiwanese team from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
In various parts of the world, threats similar to those from the IOC are either called voter intimidation or election interference. However, kudos to Taiwan for at least bringing up the topic for discussion.
Fact No. 3: Territories march under their own names, flags and anthem (except Taiwan). Territories marched and competed under their own names, carried their own flags, and stood at attention as their anthems played in Tokyo. The US territories of American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands; the British overseas territories of Bermuda and the Cayman Islands; Hong Kong, but using the Chinese anthem; and Palestine and the Russian Olympic Committee (the “other” ROC) competed under intuitively recognizable names.
Americans, Canadians, Kenyans, et al, would have revolted if they were not allowed to use their own country’s name, flag or national anthem or marched under the names “British Washington,” “French Ottawa,” or “Swahili Nairobi.”
Fact No. 4: Taiwanese athletes held their own against world-class competition. Taiwan had the 43rd-most athletes (out of 206 countries and territories). Taiwan ranked 22nd in the number of medals won, more than countries with larger populations or higher standards of living, such as Denmark, India, Ireland, Norway and Portugal.
China is behind this “Chinese Taipei” stain; any path favorable to Taiwan will be challenging especially when one of the four vice presidents on the IOC executive committee is from China. No true “family” or blood relative would bully and ostracize Taiwan politically. If China indeed wanted its “natural-born” child of Taiwan “back,” would it threaten to harm its biological offspring as the Chinese Communist Party has consistently done?
Questions:
1) Are the Olympics not about politics and do they fight against all forms of discrimination?
2) What has Taiwan done to be pigeonholed and be the world’s pariah at the biggest sporting venue of the world?
3) Will Taiwanese maintain their intestinal fortitude and the fighting spirit to have referendums until the “Chinese Taipei” name is rejected in favor of either “Taiwan” or “Formosa”?
If and when someone locates “Chinese Taipei” on a map, please let the IOC know.
Dean Chang is the first Taiwanese American to graduate from the US Military Academy at West Point, New York. He is a retired US Army colonel and a retired US Department of State foreign service officer.
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