Taiwan said Wednesday it has protested to organisers of the Women’s Asian Cup after a former Taiwanese coach was removed from a stadium in Australia for reportedly chanting “Go Taiwan”.
Chen Kuei-jen was cheering on the democratic island’s team against India in Sydney on Tuesday when he was “asked by the police to leave the venue,” Taiwan’s foreign ministry said in a statement, without elaborating on the reason.
Chen was chanting “Taiwan Jiayu”, or “Go Taiwan” in English, before he was escorted out of the stadium, Taipei’s Liberty Times newspaper and other media reported.
Photo: EPA
Taiwan competes under the name “Chinese Taipei” in international sports events, which has long been a source of frustration for many Taiwanese.
It is part of a political compromise with China, which claims Taiwan is part of its territory, that allows the island to take part in major competitions without presenting itself as a sovereign nation.
Taiwan’s foreign ministry said its representative office in Sydney had “immediately lodged a strong protest on the spot” on Tuesday, which prevented staff at the match from further “mistreating” other Taiwanese spectators.
Photo: AFP
On Wednesday, the representative office sent a letter to Asian Football Confederation (AFC) general secretary Windsor John to protest “unequal treatment” and urge “organisers to uphold human rights and the principles of fairness in the competition,” the ministry said.
The office also conveyed its “dissatisfaction and concern” to local police, it added.
Taiwan went on to beat India 3-1. It will clash with China in a politically tinged quarter-final later this week.
In a video posted on his Facebook page on Wednesday, Chen thanked his fans for their “support” and “concern”.
“Everything is alright. We continue to follow Taiwan’s football team’s journey to the World Cup,” said Chen, who previously played for Taiwan and later coached the men’s team for several years until 2016.
The AFC did not respond to AFP’s requests for comment.
An official at Taiwan’s football association, who declined to be named, told AFP that it has reminded local fans that “Taiwan participates in international competitions under the name Chinese Taipei.”
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