Local sports fans expressed ire and CPBL Commissioner Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) has written a letter of complaint after the World Baseball Classic (WBC) unveiled a promotional poster showing members from all participating national teams except Taiwan.
Taiwan is one of this year’s WBC host nations along with the US and Japan. The international event features several competitions in the three countries throughout next month.
Twenty teams are competing in four groups labeled A to D. Pool A of the WBC opens in Taichung on March 8 with matches between Taiwan, Cuba, the Netherlands, Panama and Italy.
Photo courtesy of World Baseball Classic
“Our national team must be accorded its due respect,” Tsai said. “This denigrates the representatives of our country.”
The omission angered local fans, as players from all other participating countries, including China, are shown on the pool posters.
Taiwan as a host country is conspicuous by the absence of its representation on the Pool A poster, which shows Cuba outfielder Luis Robert, Netherlands shortstop Xander Bogaerts, Panama pitcher Jaime Barria and Italy infielder David Fletcher.
Although the omission might have been an oversight, social media users said that the WBC was pressured by Beijing to not feature Taiwan.
Some Taiwanese on online sports discussion sites said they would organize protests at the venues and demand cancelation of the games in Taichung.
Others expressed outrage on the WBC’s online platform.
“Show some respect to Taiwan! Shame on WBC,” a social media user named Dennis Chang wrote.
“No Taiwan player ... it is discrimination,” a user named Aaron wrote.
“No Taiwanese player in the Pool A pic? That’s absurd. It is very disrespectful to Taiwan, especially as the host country,” another commenter said.
Joining Tsai in protest is the Taichung City Government and local event contractor Bros Sports Marketing Co (悍創), who have written to the WBC to request new posters that include a Taiwan player.
“We expressed our strong protest to the WBC,” Bros said in a statement. “We shall defend the dignity of our national squad, and always stand with local athletes.”
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