The Olympic Council of Asia briefly refused Taiwan's sports minister Li Yang entry to the Nagoya Asian Games athletes' village flag-raising ceremony on Sept. 18, delaying it by an hour and a half. Li had been due at the 1:30 p.m. ceremony when the council told Taiwan's delegation headquarters he could not take part, and he was admitted only after the delegation lodged a strong protest, CNA reported. The Executive Yuan called the episode unreasonable suppression.
How did the government respond? Executive Yuan spokesperson Lee Hui-chih said Li had completed the application procedure and obtained his credentials and access permissions, so he should have entered the village normally. Lee said Premier Cho Jung-tai phoned Li at once and spoke with Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee president Tsai Chia-fu, CNA reported. Relaying Cho's words, Lee said the Executive Yuan would fully support the delegation. On Sept. 19, Cho praised Li for firmly defending athletes' right to take part in formal international competition and urged the council to respect Olympic spirit and rules.
What did Li say? Li said at the Games that the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee had completed the access application in advance and that he did not know why the council had issued such an instruction, CNA reported. "We do not want to be subjected to any so-called other political suppression," he said. Asked whether the opening ceremony would be affected, Li said the delegation expected to attend all of it and had declared in advance, PTS reported. "We will strive for equal dignity," he said.
How did politicians react? Chuang Jui-hsiung, secretary-general of the Democratic Progressive Party's legislative caucus, said in a press release that the council had kept Li out on a single "order" yet could produce no formal document or basis when Taiwan asked for one. Athletes are there to compete, "not to bear political interference from off the field," he said.
