By Chen Cheng-yu and Sam Garcia / Staff reporter, with staff writer
Taiwan’s former national team head coach was reportedly removed from an AFC Women’s Asian Cup match in Sydney yesterday for cheering “Go Taiwan,” after organizers told fans to use the name “Chinese Taipei.”
Taiwan defeated India 3-1 in the match, sending the nation’s women’s soccer team to the quarter-finals of the tournament.
Fans said that they were asked to sit down by staff, as “standing to cheer” was not allowed.
Photo courtesy of the Chinese Taipei Football Association
However, when fans of India’s team were standing, cheering and banging drums, the organizers did not restrict them in the same way, they said.
During halftime, former national team coach Chen Kuei-jen (陳貴人) was reportedly removed from the stadium after cheering for “Taiwan.”
The Chinese Taipei Football Association later confirmed that the AFC told Taiwanese fans to refer to the team as “Chinese Taipei.”
Restricting the way fans cheer and forbidding them to say “Taiwan” goes beyond crowd management — it suppresses the basic rights and national identity of Taiwanese fans, Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Lee Po-yi (李柏毅) said.
Cheering for one’s national team and shouting the country’s name should be the most basic, fundamental right, Lee said.
Taiwan has long faced political pressure from China in international arenas, with its name, flag and other symbols frequently restricted or excluded, he said.
For Taiwan there has never been room to separate politics from sports, as China has long sought to suppress and diminish its national status on the global stage, he added.
Lee said he would request the Ministry of Sports and Australian Office Taipei to express their concern for the incident and require Football Australia to explain and prevent similar incidents in the future.
He also called on people to pay attention to how this case develops and unite in support of Taiwanese athletes.
No matter how challenging the international environment, the voices of Taiwanese cheering for their national team should not be silenced, Lee said.
Along with their win over India, Taiwan lost to Japan 2-0 and topped Vietnam 1-0 to finish second in Group C with a 2-1 record and automatically advance to the quarter-finals, where they are to face China in Perth on Saturday.
Additional reporting by CNA