The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is responsible for ensuring the equal treatment of all delegations, including the assurance that Taiwan would not be belittled at the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Winter Olympics, Executive Yuan spokesman Lo Ping-cheng (羅秉成) said yesterday.
The comment came in response to backlash following an announcement on Monday that Taiwan’s delegation would be attending the ceremonies tomorrow and on Feb. 20, despite initially saying it would not participate.
Explaining its sudden reversal, the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee (CTOC) said that the IOC sent notices on Saturday requiring all delegations to the Games to cooperate.
Photo: CNA
The delegation was initially not to participate due to flight schedule conflicts and COVID-19 prevention measures.
In a statement on Tuesday condemning the decision, the Taiwan Association for Human Rights and other groups accused the CTOC and Sports Administration of going against the official consensus.
They also called on the athletes and other representatives not to participate, as doing so would be “tantamount to endorsing China’s human rights violations.”
Photo: EPA-EFE
Taiwan Association for China Human Rights chairman Yang Sen-hong (楊憲宏), who has long protested Taiwan’s participation in the Beijing Games, said the IOC is basically doing China’s bidding, meaning that the CTOC is to some extent also conforming to China’s wishes.
It also chose Lunar New Year’s Eve to make its announcement to minimize the immediate backlash, Yang said.
The entire situation smacks of fraud, with the CTOC going back on its word after the IOC allegedly warned that not attending would affect Taiwan’s membership, he added.
The government must fully explain its decision, as under the current international climate, it seems unlikely that failure to attend would affect a nation’s Olympic status, he said.
Lo yesterday said the decision was made after the IOC in discussions with the CTOC expressed the wish that it could cooperate with its policy.
Little political interference is expected and the situation does not merit excessive speculation or interpretation, he added.
The IOC is responsible for implementing the Olympic Charter, which guarantees equal treatment for all participants in the Games, Lo said, adding that China, as the host country, shares this responsibility.
If a situation arises in which the nation’s sovereignty is minimized, then the Executive Yuan would respond, he added.
Additional reporting by Wu Su-wei
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