When the 2022 Winter Olympics open in Beijing next Friday, athletes from 91 National Olympic committees (NOCs) will gather to parade into the Bird’s Nest stadium during the opening ceremony; 91 NOCs minus Chinese Taipei.
Taiwan, or Chinese Taipei, as the political entity encompassing the island is referred to within the Olympic movement, revealed its athletes likely won’t be in attendance at the opening or closing ceremonies in Beijing.
According to Reuters, Taiwan’s Sports Administration said, “according to the event’s pandemic prevention and entry policy, flights have been adjusted and delayed, and not all could arrive in Beijing by the opening ceremony on February 4.”
‘Based on the protection of the athletes, high-standard pandemic prevention and control measures have been adopted to prevent any risk of infection; to accumulate combat strength, our delegation will not participate in the opening ceremony.”
It was also stated that because the team is small, athletes and team officials will return home after their events are completed, thus forgoing the closing ceremony as well.
The announcement comes amidst the latest spat between Taiwan and the People’s Republic of China. According to Nikkei Asia, a dispute over Taiwan’s name has broken out between the two sides in the weeks leading up to the opening ceremony.
An official from China’s Taiwan Affairs Office referred to Taiwan as “Taipei, China” when discussing the island’s Olympic appearance during a news conference. This represented a break from the previously agreed upon name, “Chinese Taipei.”
The difference in diction from the Chinese side appears to have soured relations between the two, with an official from Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council telling reporters, “China intentionally called the Taiwanese team by the incorrect name of ‘Taipei, China,’ which will only further heighten the resentment of the Taiwanese people.”
It was also confirmed earlier in the week that no official representatives of Taiwan would attend the Games. In a statement, Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council added, “we call on this year’s organizers to abide by the ‘Olympic Charter’ and not use political factors to interfere with the competition and suppress and belittle our side.”
The statement concluded, “relevant government units will also be prepared to respond to various emergencies,” according to reporting from Reuters.
These latest developments represent the most recent chapter of Olympics related disputes between China and Taiwan. Both NOCs have previously boycotted the Olympic Games due to disputes stemming from the recognition of one party or the other under the “One China” policy.
The International Olympic Committee has yet to comment on the matter.
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