FAPA INITIATES A JOINT LETTER TO THE IOC, URGING TO LET TAIWAN BE “TAIWAN” AT THE OLYMPICS
As the 2024 Paris Olympics comes to an end, the Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA), together with 23 other overseas Taiwanese organizations, sent a joint letter today (August 9) to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach and all members of its Executive Board, calling on the IOC to justly let Taiwanese athletes compete under the name “Taiwan” instead of forcing Taiwan’s team to use the discriminatory misnomer “Chinese Taipei,” and also stop infringing on the “freedom of speech and expression” of the spectators to display signs and symbols in support of Taiwan at the Olympics.
The initiator of the joint letter, FAPA President Su-Mei Kao noted: “Taiwan is an independent, sovereign country, and this is a long-established ‘status quo.’ Taiwan’s Olympic team is fully entitled to compete proudly under the name ‘Taiwan.’ It is only natural for Taiwanese fans to cheer for the team of their country ‘Taiwan’ at the Olympic Games. The IOC, in blatant disregard for the principles of ‘non-discrimination’ and ‘political neutrality’ enshrined in the Olympic Charter, has forced Taiwan’s team to use the derogatory name ‘Chinese Taipei,’ which undermines Taiwan’s independent statehood and national dignity. The reason behind this is obvious: China’s outrageous political pressure and its irrational and continued bullying against Taiwan.”
In the joint letter, we point out that since 1984, “capitulating to the political pressure from the People’s Republic of China (PRC),” the IOC has unjustly forced Taiwan to participate in the Olympics under the name “Chinese Taipei” and prohibit the display of its national flag and the playing of its national anthem during the games.
The letter criticizes that these “unfair practices violate the fundamental principles of the Olympic Charter,” which, among other things, declares that “[t]he practice of sport is a human right” and “[e]very individual must have access to the practice of sport, without discrimination,” that “sports organisations within the Olympic Movement shall apply political neutrality,” and that “[t]he enjoyment of the rights and freedoms set forth in this Olympic Charter shall be secured without discrimination of any kind, such as race . . . political or other opinion, national or social origin . . . birth or other status.”
The letter says that the IOC’s unfair Taiwan-specific restrictions have been extended to fans supporting “Taiwan.” At the ongoing Summer Olympics, signs or items that have the word “Taiwan” on them, or include a semblance of Taiwan, have been unreasonably prohibited and forcefully snatched from Taiwanese fans by Olympic staff members or Chinese spectators. Fans holding signage in support of Taiwan have even been forcibly removed from the Olympic venues.
FAPA and other co-signatory organizations “strongly condemn these violent acts.” These actions “not only violated the Olympic spirit and principles set forth in the Olympic Charter” but also infringed on the “freedom of speech” of Taiwanese spectators at the Olympics to rightfully express support for the athletes from their country, “Taiwan.”
We jointly call on the IOC President Bach and the full Executive Board “not to succumb to China’s political pressure” and immediately stop its “discriminatory requirement” for athletes from Taiwan to compete under the fictitious name “Chinese Taipei.” The name “Chinese Taipei” “falsely implies that Taiwan is part of China (PRC), even though Taiwan has never been ruled by the PRC for a single day.”
We demand and hope that Taiwan’s team to compete proudly and properly under the name “Taiwan.” We urged that “[t]he international community ought to support democracy and freedom by opposing authoritarian China’s attempts to undermine Taiwan’s sovereignty and independent statehood through the forcible imposition of the humiliating name ‘Chinese Taipei’ on Taiwan.”
We praise that during this year’s Olympic Games in Paris, various news outlets from different countries have properly explained that the team participating under the confusing name “Chinese Taipei” is actually from “Taiwan” and correctly referred to it and its members as the “team of Taiwan” and “Taiwanese athletes.” We also encouraged more media outlets to follow suit and call Taiwan as “Taiwan.”
At the end of the letter, FAPA and all co-signatory overseas Taiwanese organizations jointly urge the IOC President and other Olympic officials to “resist China’s political bullying against Taiwan and begin sweeping away all discriminatory and unfair restraints on Taiwan’s athletes and supporters.”
We strongly call on “the IOC to live up to the ideals and principles of the Olympic Charter, allow Taiwan to proudly compete under its name, ‘Taiwan,’ and use the national flag and anthem that can truly represent Taiwan.”