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.
SHIPS, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES: The ministry has announced changes to varied transportation industries taking effect soon, with a number of effects for passengers Beginning next month, the post office is canceling signature upon delivery and written inquiry services for international registered small packets in accordance with the new policy of the Universal Postal Union, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday. The new policy does not apply to packets that are to be delivered to China, the ministry said. Senders of international registered small packets would receive a NT$10 rebate on postage if the packets are sent from Jan. 1 to March 31, it added. The ministry said that three other policies are also scheduled to take effect next month. International cruise ship operators
NUMBERS IMBALANCE: More than 4 million Taiwanese have visited China this year, while only about half a million Chinese have visited here Beijing has yet to respond to Taiwan’s requests for negotiation over matters related to the recovery of cross-strait tourism, the Tourism Administration said yesterday. Taiwan’s tourism authority issued the statement after Chinese-language daily the China Times reported yesterday that the government’s policy of banning group tours to China does not stop Taiwanese from visiting the country. As of October, more than 4.2 million had traveled to China this year, exceeding last year. Beijing estimated the number of Taiwanese tourists in China could reach 4.5 million this year. By contrast, only 500,000 Chinese tourists are expected in Taiwan, the report said. The report
The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency yesterday launched a gift box to market honey “certified by a Formosan black bear” in appreciation of a beekeeper’s amicable interaction with a honey-thieving bear. Beekeeper Chih Ming-chen (池明鎮) in January inspected his bee farm in Hualien County’s Jhuosi Township (卓溪) and found that more than 20 beehives had been destroyed and many hives were eaten, with bear droppings and paw prints near the destroyed hives, the agency said. Chih returned to the farm to move the remaining beehives away that evening when he encountered a Formosan black bear only 20m away, the agency said. The bear
Chinese embassy staffers attempted to interrupt an award ceremony of an international tea competition in France when the organizer introduced Taiwan and displayed the Republic of China flag, a Taiwanese tea farmer said in an interview published today. Hsieh Chung-lin (謝忠霖), chief executive of Juxin Tea Factory from Taichung's Lishan (梨山) area, on Dec. 2 attended the Teas of the World International Contest held at the Peruvian embassy in Paris. Hsieh was awarded a special prize for his Huagang Snow Source Tea by the nonprofit Agency for the Valorization of Agricultural Products (AVPA). During the ceremony, two Chinese embassy staffers in attendance
RSS