The Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) said it is investigating allegations that a member of Taiwan’s women’s team was sexually harassed by security personnel ahead of a match in London on Saturday.
The incident is alleged to have occurred in London as the team prepared to face South Korea at this year’s World Team Table Tennis Championships, the association said.
During the competition, the absence of the Taiwanese athlete from the player’s bench caused speculation.
Photo courtesy of the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association
After the match, coach Cheng Chia-chi (鄭佳奇) on social media said that during the pre-competition security check, “an extremely serious and unacceptable situation occurred.”
“Security personnel engaged in inappropriate physical contact with our athletes and there were even signs of possible sexual harassment. They obstructed the athletes’ normal passage, causing significant psychological pressure and directly affecting our lineup and participation,” she wrote and called for an investigation by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).
In an update posted on its official Web site yesterday afternoon, CTTTA secretary-general Yeh Kuo-chin (葉國欽) said the association would prioritize the athlete’s rights and well-being and make every effort to help her recover emotionally and return to competition as soon as possible.
The association said it was first notified at about 1:40pm in London on May 2, when coaches reported that a female player said she had been subjected to inappropriate sexual harassment by security personnel while entering the venue. At about 2pm, Yeh, Deputy Secretary-General Liao Chiung-yao (廖?堯) and National Taiwan University of Sport professor Wu Sheng-kuang (吳昇光), accompanied by team coaches, contacted the event’s executive director and competition manager about the incident.
According to the association, the staff member involved was immediately removed from duty and would not continue working at the event. Organizers said the security screening process was recorded on surveillance footage and would be reviewed, adding that any confirmed misconduct or illegal behavior would be subject to strict disciplinary action. They pledged to issue a formal apology to the association and the player.
At about 7pm, Yeh and Cheng Chia-chi received a written apology from organizers, who said special arrangements could be made for future security checks to ensure team members’ safety. Media reports said the ITTF and World Table Tennis, along with event organizers, issued a joint statement saying any actions harming athletes’ rights would not be tolerated. Later that evening, Yeh and Liao met with the ITTF president, who said he had received a report on the incident.
The association said it would continue to prioritize the athlete’s rights and provide support to help her recover and return to competition. It added that the Ministry of Sports had been kept informed throughout the process.
Despite the incident, Taiwan defeated South Korea 3-1 in its opening women’s team match, with Yeh I-tien (葉伊恬), Peng Yu-han (彭郁涵) and Wu Ying-hsuan (吳映萱) delivering strong performances, even as veteran players Cheng I-ching (鄭怡靜) and Chen Szu-yu (陳思羽) did not appear in the lineup.
The association said that if evidence confirms inappropriate contact, including alleged groping, they would seek legal redress.
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