Contestant Pan Caichen’s grandma Cai Yuhua (left) shed tears at the venue, and contestant Li Jiawei’s mother (right) was also very sad. (Photo by reporter Luo Xinzhen)
[Reporter Nian Miaoyun/Taipei Report] Taiwanese teenagers Pan Caichen and Li Jiawei qualified for the World Gymnastics Championships in the Netherlands in October this year at the end of August. However, the Gymnastics Association directly rejected the World Gymnastics Federation (WG) on the grounds of urgent administrative procedures without informing the coaches and athletes, causing controversy. Not only did many legislators voice their condemnation after the incident, but the National Federation of Educational Industries demanded that the Ministry of Sports immediately conduct a thorough investigation, specifically punish and replace the Secretary-General of the Gymnastics Association. In this regard, the Ministry of Sports stated that it will conduct a comprehensive review based on the complete information provided by the association. If the association does not propose specific improvement measures, or if it is found to be consistent with the situation stipulated in Article 43 of the "National Sports Law", the punishment will be continued in accordance with the law.
In response to this controversy, the Sports Ministry stated that after receiving complaints from the public on September 1, 2015, it immediately asked the Gymnastics Association of the Republic of China to learn the whole story of the incident and requested the association to provide a complete explanation. The association issued a preliminary statement on September 6, and the department has also written to request the association to submit a complete review report, clarification of responsibilities and specific improvement measures within 10 days. This case has also been included in the missing record of the 2016 financial subsidy as a reference for subsequent subsidy funding review; however, the relevant disposal shall not affect the player's training and participation rights.
As for the supplementary qualifications for this World Championships, the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) directly notifies specific athletes to obtain supplementary qualifications. How to confirm the athletes' willingness to participate, complete necessary domestic procedures, and whether the association still has the authority to conduct separate reviews or decide not to dispatch, will also require the association to provide complete basis and explanation in the review report. In the future, for supplementary cases with urgent notification deadlines from the International Federation, an emergency handling mechanism should be established that prioritizes the protection of players’ rights and interests to avoid players losing their chance to compete again due to internal administrative procedures.
As for external demands for accountability and the removal of the association's secretary-general, the Sports Ministry said it understands the concerns of all walks of life. Based on the complete information provided by the association, we will conduct a comprehensive review of the decision-making process, division of powers and responsibilities, responsibilities of relevant personnel, and damage to the rights and interests of the players. If the association does not propose specific improvement measures, or if it is found that the situation is consistent with Article 43 of the National Sports Law, the punishment will be continued in accordance with the law.
In addition, the Ministry of Sports stated in a statement that there are currently relevant complaints and relief mechanisms for players' complaint relief and the protection of the rights and interests of student players, which can be handled in accordance with Article 37 of the National Sports Law. It will continue to review the actual operation situation; if the case involves student status or educational rights, it will also contact the Ministry of Education, local governments and schools as needed to jointly safeguard the rights and interests of players.
