Taoyuan Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦) is the new chairman of Taiwanese soccer’s governing body.
Cheng, who yesterday won a vote among CTFA members, took over from Chiou I-jen (邱義仁), who resigned in August. Cheng’s term started immediately after the result of the vote was confirmed at a CTFA assembly in New Taipei City’s Sinjhuang District (新莊).
Votes on the governing body’s chairperson and board of directors were also held.
Photo: CNA
Cheng, of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), has served two terms as Taoyuan mayor and is barred from running for re-election in the local elections next month due to a term-limit. He is scheduled to leave office in December, when his successor is sworn in.
Before becoming mayor, Cheng was Government Information Office minister, and worked as campaign manager for DPP candidates and as policy adviser for the party.
In yesterday’s election, Cheng defeated Chang Tsan (張璨), a news media executive at EBC Network and ETToday News.
Another high-profile candidate, veteran soccer politician Liu Fu-tsai (劉福財), general manager of the top men’s league defending champions TSG-Tainan and a businessman who provided financial support for a previous Tainan-based club, on Thursday unexpectedly withdrew from the race.
With two candidates remaining, the vote was widely seen as a contest between Taiwan’s main political camps, with Chang seen as affiliated with the pan-blue camp, as the two media companies he works for were founded by former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislator Gary Wang (王令麟).
Cheng’s election victory means that the DPP’s dominance in the CTFA continues. Chiou, a senior member of the party, served as Taiwan-Japan Relations Association president before taking office at the soccer organization.
Political pundits have said that leadership positions at the CTFA have ramifications for the nation’s international involvement, as the chairperson represents Taiwan at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and FIFA, the sport’s global governing body.
In his platform, Cheng named several focus areas: boosting youth participation at the grassroots level in all cities and counties; enhancing training programs and facilities for national team players, including youth national team players; bolstering the CTFA’s international links; upgrading training grounds and game venues; improving league competition and supporting professional clubs; integrating resources within Taiwan and acquiring resources from abroad.
Cheng also touted his previous involvement in soccer, including financial backing for teams and soccer projects; his administration providing training grounds, venues and other resources for soccer clubs in Taoyuan, including those playing in the top and second divisions; his support for the men’s and women’s teams of the Inter Taoyuan Football Club; and promotion for futsal competitions.
Cheng won the votes of 22 among the 39 delegates, while Chang won the remaining 17.
Cheng is to have three deputies, who were also elected at the assembly: Tainan Soccer Association head Hsiao Yung-fu (蕭永福); former CTFA secretary-general Wang Sheau-shiun (王筱薰); and Chao Jung-jui (趙榮瑞), a sports education professor who has held positions in soccer organizations in Taiwan and Japan.
CTFA officials told the Taipei Times that the voting process was transparent and fair, with international authorities, including AFC and FIFA, supervising it via livestream.
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