The Chinese Taipei Football Association (CTFA) yesterday suspended the manager of the men’s national soccer team and dismissed four players for breaching COVID-19 protocols ahead of an international match.
The governing body in a statement said it suspended Henry Von (王家中) after an investigation found that he did not report the three incidents in which players breached virus protocols to go out drinking.
The team is to fly to Thailand today for the 2023 Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup qualification playoff round, where they are to play Indonesia on Thursday next week and again on Oct. 11.
Photo: Lin Cheng-kung, Taipei Times
Assistant manager Yeh Hsien-chung (葉獻中) would serve as interim team manager, the CTFA said.
The association said that it met last week to review an investigation of reports that players had disregarded disease prevention regulations twice on the same day in August and once last month, resulting in the suspension of Chen Hao-wei (陳浩瑋), Pai Shao-yu (白劭宇), reserve goalkeeper Tuan Hsuan (段昍) and Yu Chia-huang (游家煌).
On Aug. 21, Chen, Pai and Tuan allegedly went drinking at a bar without clearance to do so, the CTFA said, adding that earlier in the day Yu, Lee Hsiang-wei (李祥偉) and Lin Ming-wei (林明偉) left the team’s “COVID-19 bubble” to purchase alcohol.
On Sept. 11, Yu, Chen, Pai, Tuan and Lin allegedly went out drinking, and did not show up for the team’s breakfast meeting the next day, it said.
Von said the accusations were unsubstantiated, adding that CTFA secretary-general Fang Ching-jen (方靖仁) had hurt the team with the sudden suspensions.
“I only received the notification today that the CTFA has dismissed four key players on the team, while also suspending me,” Von said. “That Fang made such outrageous moves just before international matches is beyond comprehension. It has hurt the whole team, and I strongly condemn the decision.”
The CTFA said it fined Chen, Pai and Tuan NT$30,000 and Yu NT$10,000, while issuing Lee and Lin a warning.
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