The Sports Administration yesterday urged World Boxing not to “repeat the mistakes of its predecessors” after Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting (林郁婷) withdrew from a boxing tournament in the UK due to medical confidentiality issues.
Lin’s coach, Tseng Tzu-chiang (曾自強), withdrew Lin from the World Boxing Cup Finals, which began in Sheffield, England, yesterday and conclude on Saturday.
Lin faced similar eligibility issues at the Paris Summer Olympics this year during a gold-medal run in the women’s 57kg division.
Photo: CNA
The Sports Administration called on World Boxing, an international sports federation established in April last year with the objective of keeping boxing in the Olympics, to avoid issues that could lead to boxing no longer being included in the Games.
Lin was approved to participate by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in the women’s category at the Paris Games, Sports Administration Director-General Cheng Shih-chung (鄭世忠) said.
To prevent the same controversies from arising, Sports Administration Deputy Director-General Fang Jui-wen (房瑞文) and representatives from the national Olympic committee and the Taiwan Boxing Association traveled to the UK to assist, Cheng said.
However, issues with World Boxing’s medical information confidentiality procedures hindered Lin’s ability to compete, he said.
The UK tournament was Lin’s first international competition since winning gold in Paris.
“Although she agreed to undergo a complete medical examination on-site, World Boxing did not permit her to compete,” Cheng said.
World Boxing was established last year and is still developing its administrative, regulatory and confidentiality frameworks, he said.
To prevent further harm, Lin’s coach and the Taiwanese officials withdrew Lin from the event with the support of the Sports Administration, Cheng added.
World Boxing could meet with Taiwanese boxing’s medical committee, accompanied by legal counsel, to discuss Lin’s case confidentially, and help the new organization establish internal controls and safeguard athletes, he said.
Separately, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said that the government is committed to ensuring Lin’s right to participate in competitions.
As World Boxing is new and lacks some privacy mechanisms, it does not have the necessary safeguards to protect athletes’ medical information, Cho said.
The hope is that the organization would establish clear and fair rules, but until then, the government would continue to provide legal assistance to advocate for the nation’s athletes, he said.
Boxing’s status for the 2028 Olympics is unclear, following an IOC decision to no longer recognize the International Boxing Association.
In a bid to ensure that boxing would remain an Olympic sport, World Boxing was launched last year. It has the support of 55 national member federations.
US-CHINA SUMMIT: MOFA welcomed US reassurance of no change in its Taiwan policy; Trump said he did not comment when Xi talked of opposing independence US President Donald Trump yesterday said he has not made a decision on whether to move forward with a major arms package for Taiwan after hearing concerns about it from Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平). Trump’s comments on Taiwan came as he flew back to Washington after wrapping up critical talks in which both leaders said important progress was made in stabilizing US-China relations even as deep differences persist between the world’s two biggest powers on Iran and Taiwan. “I will make a determination,” Trump said, adding: “I’ll be making decisions. But, you know, I think the last thing we need right
SECURITY: Taipei presses the US for arms supplies, saying the arms sales are not only a reflection of the US security commitment to Taiwan but also serve as a mutual deterrent against regional threats Taiwan is committed to preserving the cross-strait “status quo” and contributing to regional peace and stability, the Presidential Office said yesterday. “It is an undeniable fact that the Republic of China is a sovereign and independent democratic nation,” Presidential Office spokeswoman Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) reiterated, adding that Beijing has no right to claim sovereignty over Taiwan. The statements came after US President Donald Trump warned against Taiwanese independence. Trump wrapped up a state visit to Beijing on Friday, during which Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) had pressed him not to support Taiwan. Taiwan depends heavily on US security backing to deter China from carrying
The subsidiary of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) in Kumamoto, Japan, turned a profit in the first quarter of this year, marking the first time the first fab of the unit has become profitable since mass production started at the end of 2024. According to the contract chipmaker’s financial statement released on Friday, Japan Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Inc (JASM), a joint venture running the fab in Kumamoto, posted NT$951 million (US$30.19 million) in profit in the January-to-March period, compared with a loss of NT$1.39 billion in the previous quarter, and a loss of NT$3.25 billion in the first quarter of
RESOLUTE BACKING: Two Republican senators are planning to introduce legislation that would impose immediate sanctions on China if it attempts to invade Taiwan US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson on Sunday reaffirmed US congressional support for Taiwan, saying the US and “all freedom-loving people” have a stake in preventing China from seizing Taiwan by force. Johnson made the remarks in an interview with Fox News Sunday on US President Donald Trump’s summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) last week. In an interview that aired on Friday on Fox News, just as Trump wrapped up a high-stakes visit to China, he said he has yet to green-light a new US$14 billion arms package to Taiwan and that it “depends on China.” “It’s a very good
RSS