Two candidates are to run for chairperson of the CTFA, Taiwan’s national soccer body, after former Taoyuan City Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦) resigned from the position in December last year.
An election is to be held at a members-only general meeting on Wednesday.
Cheng resigned after less than three months on the job to become the CTFA chairman.
Photo: Lin Min-chen, Taipei Times
Veteran media figure and former CTS Television general manager Wang Lin-hsiang (王麟祥), who was nominated by the Yilan County Football Association, is one of the nominees.
Wang also served on the board of two Taipei-based television media companies — TVBS Media and ERA Communications Co.
The nomination form said Wang was instrumental in acquiring the broadcast rights to the 2002 FIFA World Cup hosted by South Korea and Japan.
Also on the ballot is former Taichung City councilor Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱), who was a DPP central standing committee member, nominated by the Taichung City Football Future Development Association.
Chen listed his qualification as an EMBA graduate from National Taipei University of Technology, saying that as a city councilor, he provided substantial support for soccer and sports, allocating funds to build parks and fields for sports in Taichung.
Chen said he also served as chairman of the non-profit Spring Rain Culture and Education Foundation.
Wang said that if elected, he plans to amend Taiwan’s law governing soccer to conform with FIFA statues and regulations, and integrate financial support from FIFA and government agencies to improve soccer development.
He also promised to establish a task force to find ways to turn Taiwan’s top division into a professional league, and collaborate with media to expand marketing.
Chen said he would provide better resources to all levels of Taiwan’s national squads, from youth to adults, and across men’s and women’s leagues, and maximize support for local competitions and leagues in all regions.
His plans would help clubs to pass certification by the Asian soccer federation, he added.
Chen also promised to lobby for funding to improve the CTFA Web site, which has been widely criticized, and to increase training programs for certification of match referees and soccer coaches.
He would also enhance local resources and funding to add a professional soccer club in Taichung, he added.
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