Taipei city councilors yesterday blasted the organizers of next month’s World Masters Games over sudden timetable and venue changes, which they said have caused thousands of participants to back out of the international sporting event, among other organizational issues.
They also cited visa delays and political interference by China as reasons many foreign athletes are requesting refunds for the event, to be held from May 17 to 30.
Jointly organized by the Taipei and New Taipei City governments, the games have been rocked by numerous controversies since preparations began in 2020.
Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Taipei Times
Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳) said yesterday that new measures by Beijing require Chinese to travel through Hong Kong, Macau or another country to attend the Games, and also impose strict checks on issuing permits for Chinese to visit Taiwan.
“Due to these barriers, many Chinese who have already signed up will not be coming,” Lin said.
Originally there were 546 participants from China, but as of this week, only 61 have obtained Chinese travel permits, and only 34 have confirmed attendance, having paid permit fees and registered for the event, as well as having received approval to enter Taiwan, Lin said.
Lin cited reports that about 3,000 participants — foreign nationals and Taiwanese — had signed up, but have requested refunds.
She accused the organizing committee of many issues, including lacking a publicity campaign, and called on Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) to take responsibility.
“The registration process is a mess, while the changing timetable and abrupt venue changes have left people in the dark without updated information, and unable to register or change to other events,” Taipei City Councilor Yen Juo-fang (顏若芳) said.
Moreover, many Taiwanese are not aware of the Games, Yen added.
The total price tag for the Games came to NT$1.881 billion (US$57.8 million), with the Taipei City Government footing half of the bill, the central government 40 percent, and 10 percent from the New Taipei City Government.
More than 30,000 participants were expected to participate, half from abroad, Yen said.
However, registration has fallen far short of the target, as only 6,550 foreign nationals had completed registration, according to figures this week, as well as 19,400 from within Taiwan, of which 11,366 are Taipei or New Taipei City residents, Yen said.
Originally conceived as an open competition for adults aged 30 or older, the registration fee is NT$3,600 for Taiwanese and NT$7,500 for foreign nationals, which allows participants to sign up for seven events in three major sporting categories, according to official information.
However, Taipei city councilors have criticized the pricing as too high for an open sporting event, which deters most people from taking part.
Games spokesperson Kuo Yin-lan (郭音蘭) said that most cancelations were due to changes to personal travel, injuries or team disbandment, while some made changes because events were full.
There were also “adjustments” to move venues due to safety concerns and other unforeseen circumstances, Kuo added.
SPACE VETERAN: Kjell N. Lindgren, who helps lead NASA’s human spaceflight missions, has been on two expeditions on the ISS and has spent 311 days in space Taiwan-born US astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren is to visit Taiwan to promote technological partnerships through one of the programs organized by the US for its 250th national anniversary. Lindgren would be in Taiwan from Tuesday to Saturday next week as part of the US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ US Speaker Program, organized to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said in a statement yesterday. Lindgren plans to engage with key leaders across the nation “to advance cutting-edge technological partnerships and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers,”
UNREASONABLE SURVEILLANCE: A camera targeted on an road by a neighbor captured a man’s habitual unsignaled turn into home, netting him dozens of tickets The Taichung High Administrative Court has canceled all 45 tickets given to a man for failing to use a turn signal while driving, as it considered long-term surveillance of his privacy more problematic than the traffic violations. The man, surnamed Tseng (曾), lives in Changhua County and was reported 45 times within a month for failing to signal while driving when he turned into the alley where his residence is. The reports were filed by his neighbor, who set up security cameras that constantly monitored not only the alley but also the door and yard of Tseng’s house. The surveillance occurred from July
A Japan Self-Defense Forces vessel entered the Taiwan Strait yesterday, Japanese media reported. After passing through the Taiwan Strait, the Ikazuchi was to proceed to the South China Sea to take part in a joint military exercise with the US and the Philippines, the reports said. Japan Self-Defense Force vessels were first reported to have passed through the strait in September, 2024, with two further transits taking place in February and June last year, the Asahi Shimbun reported. Yesterday’s transit also marked the first time since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took office that a Japanese warship has been sent through the Taiwan
‘SAME OLD TRICK’: Even if Beijing resumes individual travel to Taiwan, it would only benefit Chinese tourism companies, the Economic Democracy Union convener said China’s 10 new “incentives” are “sugar-coated poison,” an official said yesterday, adding that Taiwanese businesses see them clearly for what they are, but that Beijing would inevitably find some local collaborators to try to drums up support. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, made the remark ahead of a news conference the General Chamber of Commerce is to hold today. The event, titled “Industry Perspectives on China’s Recent Pro-Taiwan Policies,” is expected to include representatives from industry associations — such as those in travel, hotels, food and agriculture — to request the government cooperate with China’s new measures, people familiar with
RSS