TAIPEI: Taiwan’s team for the Beijing Winter Olympics will be at the opening and closing ceremonies after being told by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that it was required to participate.
Chinese-claimed Taiwan has feared that Beijing could “downgrade” Taiwan’s status by putting its athletes alongside those from Chinese-run Hong Kong at the opening ceremony, a senior Taiwan official familiar with the matter told Reuters last week.
Subtropical Taiwan, which has no winter sporting tradition and has never won a medal at the Winter Games, is sending four athletes to Beijing, the same number as the last Winter Games in 2018.
Taiwan had said last Friday (Jan 28) that the team would not be at the opening or closing ceremonies, blaming delayed flights and tough anti-COVID-19 rules.
But Taiwan’s Olympic committee said late on Monday that it had received “several notices” from the IOC “requiring all delegations to the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics to cooperate in sending personnel to attend the opening and closing ceremonies”.
Based on its respect of the Olympic spirit and after discussions with Taiwan’s Sports Administration, they will “adjust” the plan and “cooperate with the policy to send staff to attend the opening and closing ceremonies”.
It did not say how many of the 15-member team, including trainers, would be there.
Source: CNA