Tue, Oct 15, 2002 page20

• Taiwan's hits out at Games' organizers

  NOT SATISFIED Officials traveling with the Taiwan team complained about the lack of coordination, poor transportation and the judging in some events

  • By Jules Quartly / STAFF REPORTER
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  Taiwan ripped into organizers of the 14th Asian Games yesterday for fixing competitions, overcharging, diplomatic gaffes and transportation mayhem.

  Deputy mission chief of the Taiwan delegation Chan Ti-chi (詹德基) said yesterday in Busan, South Korea, he was satisfied with the country's athletic performance but upset with the organizers of the Games.

  His comments have been echoed by some other participating countries and even Busan Asian Games Organizing Committee (BAGOC) President Chung Soon-taek has admitted there were grounds for criticism.

  

  The Asian Games official mascot, Duria, is raised during the closing ceremony of the 14th Asian Games in Busan yesterday.

  PHOTO: AFP

  At a press conference on Sunday Chung expressed regret over some controversial judging and admitted there had been problems with what he termed "operational and organizational co-ordination, especially the shortage of well-trained interpreters and translators."

  Chan began by saying the nation should be proud of its achievements at the Games at which it won a total of 52 medals -- 10 golds, 17 silvers and 25 bronzes. At the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok, Taiwan took home 77 medals in total, 19 of them gold.

  "We exceeded our expectations of 10 gold medals, even though we did not do as well as at the previous Asian Games. All our athletes did their best so our senior officials are satisfied," Chan said.

  

  South Korean players toss their coach Kim Jin in the air following their surprise 102-100 win over China in overtime for the gold in the men's basketball finals in the Asian Games in Busan yesterday.

  PHOTO: AP

  Then he laid into the Games' organizers.

  "The delegation is not satisfied with the organizing committee," he said. "First, with the refereeing and judges in taekwondo, shooting, wushu, bowling and other events.

  "In all these events and more there were decisions made that were favorable to the South Korean athletes.

  

  South Korean performers dance during the closing ceremony for the 14th Asian Games in Busan yesterday.

  PHOTO: AFP

  "Second, transportation. The timetables for the shuttle buses were abysmal. They changed the times of buses without notifying the athletes or team managers. It was very hard to work with," he said.

  Chan also said some athletes and officials leaving the Athletes' Village to return to Taiwan had to walk up to 2km, with their luggage, to a car park and catch a shuttle bus because no transport was provided for groups of less than 50 people.

  "It's incredible," Chan said, "At other Asian Games these sort of facilities were provided without any question. It is a minimum standard."

  He also alleged that price gouging had occurred.

  "The rental prices for accommodation and other items was much more than we could have got elsewhere," he said.

  There were individual complaints from Taiwan athletes too, Chan said.

  He gave the case of cycling gold medal winner Lin Chih-hsun (林志勳), who was made to wait for his doping test so long that when he had completed it the stadium had been closed and he had to ask a security guard to unlock the gates.

  There was no more transport from the stadium by then so Lin was forced to walk "a long way" and find a taxi back to the Athletes' Village on his own.

  Chan also criticized the number of mission chief meetings that were held, intimating that problems could have been solved if there had been more communication with the delegation leaders.

  "At other Asian Games there were meetings every day but here there were only three to four," he said. "Also, they never answered our questions when we did get a chance to pose them."

  Finally, Chan said the organizers had broken their promise made when they bid against Kaohsiung for the Games in 1995, that athletes and officials would be given free transportation and accommodation.

  "Basically, we had to pay for everything. They did not keep their word. Overall, we are not very satisfied," Chan concluded.
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