Taiwan cuts funding for Olympic speed skater who wore China uniform ‘for friendship’
- Huang Yu-ting posted a clip on social media wearing China’s team outfit, drawing ire from netizens and commentators on the island
- Sports Administration says government subsidies for Huang to train and compete are suspended for two years
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The Sport Administration said government subsidies for Huang to train and compete would be suspended for two years as punishment for her “repeated controversial behaviour and remarks”.
Huang “violated her role as a member of the national team … and hurt the honour of the country as well as the people’s feelings,” it said in a statement.
The administration said it planned to revise relevant regulations governing the conduct of athletes on teams representing the island to help ensure they “maintain national dignity”.
Huang, 33, was one of four Taiwanese athletes competing at the Beijing Winter Olympics last month.
She removed the video following a barrage of criticism, explaining later that a mainland friend had given her the uniform and she wore it “for friendship”.
“Let sports be sports. In sports, we do not distinguish nationalities,” she wrote on her official Facebook fan page which she has since closed.
She drew more ire during the Games when she said in an interview with mainland media that she felt “at home” competing in Beijing.
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She was also slammed for saying in a post on her personal Facebook page that it was open to messages left by “haters and acid netizens”.
“Those who are supporting me, please don’t leave a comment, just like the post,” she wrote.
Taiwan is not allowed to compete during the Olympics and other major sporting events under its name because of Beijing’s opposition. Instead it uses the name Chinese Taipei.
Athletes on the podium must not fly the Taiwanese flag or play the island’s anthem.
