Taiwan Sports Minister Lee Yang was briefly prevented from attending a welcome and flag-raising ceremony at the Asian Games athletes’ village in Nagoya, Japan, on Sept. 18, prompting protests from the Taiwanese delegation and delaying the event for about an hour.
Lee was eventually admitted following negotiations. Taiwan Premier Cho Jung-tai later called on the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) to follow Olympic rules and ensure Taiwanese athletes could participate in the Games without further disruption.
Lee briefly denied entry
According to Central News Agency (CNA), Lee had been scheduled to attend the ceremony at 1:30 p.m. local time. After the delegations entered the venue, however, the ceremony did not begin as scheduled, and participants were asked to return to a waiting area.
Taiwan Minister without Portfolio Wu Cheng-wen told reporters at the venue that the OCA had issued an “order” barring Lee from attending. Wu said he asked to see the order, but officials at the site were unable to produce it. CNA noted that it remained unclear whether such an order existed.
After about an hour of negotiations, Lee and the Taiwanese delegation returned to the venue and took part in the ceremony.
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“We are doing our best to safeguard our rights and do not want to be subjected to any form of suppression,” Lee told CNA.
Lee said the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee had completed the required application process in advance and that Taiwan had sought to defend its right to participate.
“We hope to exercise our rights, and everything we do is reasonable and evidence-based,” Lee said. “After our final discussions with the organizers, we were ultimately able to enter the venue and take part in the ceremony.”
Taiwan officials urge OCA to uphold Olympic rules
Premier Cho Jung-tai later called on the OCA to “abide by the spirit and rules of the International Olympic Committee” so Taiwanese athletes could compete smoothly and perform at their best. The original report said Cho also urged government agencies to work together to prevent further unnecessary interference during the Games.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said personnel from its representative office in Japan and its Osaka office were providing assistance to the delegation. The ministry said it would remain in contact with sports authorities to protect athletes’ rights and safety and Taiwan’s space for international participation.
The Taiwanese delegation also questioned the basis for Lee’s initial exclusion. Democratic Progressive Party legislative caucus secretary-general Chuang Jui-hsiung said officials had been unable to provide documentation explaining why Lee was barred.
“If he could enter in the end, on what grounds was he prevented from entering in the first place?” Chuang asked, according to the original report.
OCA calls incident a misunderstanding
The OCA later offered a different account. OCA Director General Husain Al-Musallam told Reuters that flag-raising ceremonies were intended for Games participants rather than government or ministry delegations. Reuters reported that Lee had the required credentials but was initially prevented from attending before the dispute was resolved.
OCA President Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani said politics should remain separate from sporting events.
“I don’t think, you know, the politicians or politics should be involved in sports,” he said, according to the Associated Press.
The OCA characterized Lee’s temporary exclusion as a “misunderstanding,” although the AP reported that the organization did not fully explain what had caused it.
“We don’t mix sports with politics,” Sheikh Joaan said. “All the delegations know what the protocol is and what should be done, and what shouldn’t be done.”
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