An impasse that has paralyzed the nation’s soccer governing body is over and new executives are to be elected to the Chinese Taipei Football Association (CTFA) in a board election that is to take place in Taipei on Saturday next week, association officials said yesterday.
Taiwan-Japan Relations Association Director Chiou I-jen (邱義仁) is widely believed to have garnered sufficient support to win the chairmanship, while incumbent chairman Lin Yung-cheng (林湧成) over the weekend said that he would not seek a third term, after it became apparent that he did not have sufficient support.
“Taiwanese soccer should not be besieged by division and confrontation. In the upcoming board election, the eligible members should cast votes for the capable people, and they should not become embroiled in feuds,” Lin said while announcing that he would not run for re-election.
“I will continue to work at the grassroots level and focus on my Fu Jen Hang Yuen club to try and turn in into a fully professional team,” he added.
If Chiou, 68, wins the election, it would be his second time serving as CTFA chairman, as he already served from December 2005 to January 2010.
Soccer fans and proponents of sports reform welcomed the news.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator and CTFA board member Chiu Chih-wei (邱志偉) said the development bodes well for Taiwanese soccer, as besides the expected change in leadership, there would be a turnover of board members and executives.
“It will be a new era for Taiwanese soccer, with a younger group of people taking charge to make progress at the CTFA,” Chiu said.
He and six other older board members have decided not to seek re-election to allow fresh faces on the board of directors, he said.
The election would conform to the direction and guidelines set by the National Sports Act (國民體育法), which was amended last year, Chiu said.
The vote would promote sports reform and reduce the influence of partisan politics in the association, which is another reason he is not seeking re-election, he said.
“The list of eligible candidates for election included coaches, male and female veteran soccer players and other officials associated with the game. Therefore, we expect the new board to have much more diversity in representation compared with the previous ones. The new executives can lead the way in reforming the nation’s other sports governing bodies,” Chiu said.
Association deputy chairman Kung Yuan-kao (龔元高) echoed Chiu’s sentiments in welcoming a new group of executives, saying he would also not seek re-election to make way for younger people.
“The new executives at the CTFA must give priority to establishing a professional top soccer league in Taiwan,” Kung added.
“The national teams must also be reorganized and injected with resources, so that a professional management team and dedicated medical staff can be set up to take care of the players. This way, the head coach and their coaching staff can concentrate on training, running the team and preparing for games,” Kung said.
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