Let Taiwan Be “Taiwan” at the Olympics!
On the opening day of the 2024 Summer Olympics on July 26, FAPA issued a statement calling on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to let Taiwan’s athletes compete under the name “Taiwan” instead of forcing Taiwanese to use the discriminatory misnomer, “Chinese Taipei.”
The statement reads: “Since 1984, under China’s pressure, the IOC has forced Taiwan to participate in Olympic Games under the name ‘Chinese Taipei,’ using non-national flag and anthem.”
“We want Taiwan to compete proudly as Taiwan!”
It continues: “As Reps. Tom Tiffany (R-WI), Andy Ogles (R-TN), and Chris Smith (R-NJ) noted in their open letter to the IOC in May 2024, even Puerto Rico and Bermuda are not forced to compete as ‘American San Juan’ or ‘British Hamilton,’ though both are overseas territories. It is even more ridiculous to make Taiwan participate under the name ‘Chinese Taipei,’ for Taiwan has never been part of China, nor been controlled by the People’s Republic of China (PRC).”
“The IOC must no longer succumb to China’s pressure and bullying against Taiwan. The international community should support democracy and freedom by opposing China’s attempts to undermine Taiwan’s sovereignty and independent statehood through the imposition of the name ‘Chinese Taipei.’”
It adds: “On June 18, 2024, Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI) introduced a resolution calling for the IOC to allow Taiwan to participate in the Summer Olympics under the national name, flag, and anthem of its own choosing. The resolution is co-sponsored by 9 representatives including longtime Taiwan champions Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-WI) and Rep. Michelle Steel (R-CA).”
“FAPA provided comments during the drafting of this resolution and successfully urged Rep. Huizenga’s office to drop the phrase ‘Republic of China’ and change the wording to allow Taiwan to compete under its chosen national name.”
“The Congressional resolution introduced expresses the sense of deep concern about the IOC’s discriminatory requirement for Taiwan to compete as ‘Chinese Taipei,’ falsely implying Taiwan is part of China (PRC), even though Taiwan has never been ruled by the PRC for a single day.”
The statement concludes: “On this day, FAPA calls on the IOC to stop its discriminatory and unfair practices and allow Taiwan to proudly compete as Taiwan!”
References:
[1] Taiwan News
Taiwan Seeks to Add to Olympic Story in Paris
Taiwan’s participation in the Olympic Games has been a story of politics as much as sports, with the name it has competed under since 1984 — Chinese Taipei.
Unlike most countries, Taiwan cannot use its name “Taiwan” to compete in the Olympic Games or other major international sports events.
Instead, it participates under the moniker “Chinese Taipei,” a name that causes confusion and sparks curiosity among many people, including an American director, Garret Clarke, who explored the topic in his new documentary.
Clarke told CNA that he was motivated to make the documentary because he finds the name “Chinese Taipei” to be “weird.”
In the documentary (available on the TaiwanPlus), Clarke looks into the origins of “Chinese Taipei” and explores how Taiwanese people feel about it.
Nevertheless, with the 2024 Summer Olympics begins in Paris today on July 26, the exploits of Taiwan’s Olympic team which has won 36 medals since the country’s debut in Melbourne in 1956 also deserve a nod.
Many of Taiwan’s medal winners have gained considerable name recognition, but only two have achieved legendary status — Maysang Kalimud and Chi Cheng, the only medal winners before the “Chinese Taipei” era.
Kalimud, an Amis athlete who died in 2007, won silver in the decathlon in Rome in 1960 when the Taiwan team competed under the name “Formosa,” while Chi won a bronze in the women’s 80m hurdles in Mexico City in 1968 competing under the name “Taiwan.”
They made the Olympics relevant in a country that previously had little international sporting success.
Cho Seiken was the first Taiwanese to compete in the Olympics. In 1932, during the Japanese colonial period, he made history in Los Angeles by representing Japan in the men’s 400m hurdles and men’s 4x400m relay events, although he did not medal.
Taiwan competed in five consecutive Summer Games from 1956 to 1972, before politics kept it out of the Games in 1976 and 1980. Under a 1981 agreement with the International Olympic Committee, the Republic of China Olympic Committee was renamed the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee with the nation to compete as “Chinese Taipei.”
The Paris Games would be Taiwan’s 11th Olympics as “Chinese Taipei,” and its 16th appearance at the Summer Games.
Since the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, Taiwanese athletes have won seven golds, 10 silvers and 17 bronzes. The team has won at least one medal in all editions except the Seoul Olympics in 1988.
