方恩格快评》台湾在奥运会上的三个乌龙球

中华代表团由郭婞淳、卢彦勋掌旗，以第104顺位，进入东京奥运开幕式会场，为1984年重返奥运以来，首度比大陆早进场。（体育署提供）

奥运会开幕式「代表队入场」期间，很多台湾朋友给我发来了中华台北队进场的照片。有些人为球队无法使用中华民国国旗感到难过，有些人很高兴中华台北队以台湾的「T」而不是中华台北的「C」为排名进入体育场，并且NHK广播公司将队伍称为「台湾」。

不过，中华台北队以「T」为排名出场在往届奥运会上已有先例，这样做是为了避免中华台北队接在中国之后出场。虽然NHK电视台称该队为台湾，可能会给一些台湾人带来一时的快乐，但对国际电视观众来说却微不足道。

更重要的是台湾在奥运会开幕前在国际社会面前的三个「乌龙球」。

首先，尽管当时新冠病例有增加，但5月分取消在台中举行的棒球锦标赛最终资格赛的决定，是一个错误，因为只有少数外国人会进入台湾参加比赛，而且其中许多人已经接种了疫苗。如果东京在新冠病例激增的情况下能够举办奥运会，那么台湾肯定可以举办棒球比赛。随后，转战墨西哥后，台湾决定不参加总决赛。向国际社会传达的信息是，台湾在18个月内声称自己是防疫模范生，但对管理疫情风险或大流行期间举办棒球队比赛能力缺乏信心，尽管大多数其他棒球队认为这些问题是可控的。

其次，台湾选手出行安排的争议，导致蔡英文总统公开道歉。奇怪的是，像旅行安排这样简单的事情需要总统亲自参与，或者需要她道歉。不幸的是，这是涉及台湾体育组织的几起争议中的最新一起，台湾未能在国际体育赛事中发挥其潜力。

最后，台湾政府高官没有陪同中华台北队前往东京。政府部长出席奥运已有先例，并宣布政务委员唐凤将出席。不过，据中央社7月18日报导，内阁发言人罗秉成表示，国际奥委会于7月14日通知所有国家奥委会，受疫情影响，将允许极少数人参加。今年的开幕式，允许的人仅限于运动员、国家奥委会主席和秘书长、国家元首和政府首长。

事实上，出席开幕式的外国政府官员并非都是国家奥委会主席和秘书长、国家元首和政府首长。一些国家的部长和副部长确实出席了，目前还不清楚蔡政府为什么没有坚持让唐凤出席，她的缺席也是失去了一个国际曝光的机会。

（作者为前美国共和党亚太区主席）

Taiwan’s Own Goals at the Olympics

By Ross Darrell Feingold

Former Asia Chairman Republicans Abroad

During the Olympics opening ceremony “Parade of Nations” many Taiwan friends sent me photos of the Chinese Taipei entering the stadium. Some were sad the team is unable to use the Republic of China flag. Some were happy Chinese Taipei entered the stadium based on “T” for Taiwan rather than “C” for Chinese Taipei and that the NHK broadcaster referred to the team as “Taiwan”.

However the Chinese Taipei team entering based on “T” has precedent at prior Olympics and this is done to avoid Chinese Taipei entering immediately after China. Although the NHK broadcaster referring to the team as Taiwan might provide momentary happiness for some in Taiwan it is insignificant for the international television audience.

More important are Taiwan’s three “own goals” in front of the international community prior to the start of the Olympics.

First the decision in May to cancel the Final Qualifier baseball tournament to be held in Taichung was a mistake despite the increase in COVID-19 cases at the time. Only a small number of foreigners would have entered Taiwan for the tournament many of whom would have already received vaccinations. If Tokyo amid a surge in COVID-19 cases can host the Olympics surely Taiwan could have hosted a baseball tournament. Subsequently Taiwan decided not to attend the Final Qualifier when it was moved to Mexico. The message to the international community was that Taiwan which for 18 months claimed to the model of good COVID-19 management lacked confidence in its ability to manage COVID-19 risks or the baseball team’s travel during the pandemic even though most other Olympic baseball teams decided these issues are manageable.

Second the controversy over the travel arrangements for Taiwan’s athletes resulted in a public apology by President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文). It is peculiar that something so simple as travel arrangements should require the president’s personal involvement or require her apology. Unfortunately this is the latest in several controversies involving Taiwan’s sports organizations and Taiwan fails to achieve its potential at international sports tournaments.

Finally a senior Taiwan government official did not accompany the Chinese Taipei team to Tokyo. There is precedent for Taiwan government ministers to attend the Olympics and it was announced that Minister Without Portfolio Audrey Tang (唐凤) would do so. However according to a Central News Agency report on July 18 Cabinet spokesperson Lo Ping-cheng (罗秉成) said the International Olympic Committee informed all national Olympic Committees on July 14 that due to the pandemic very few people would be allowed to participate in the opening ceremony this year and those allowed will be limited to athletes the chairpersons and secretary-generals of national Olympic Committees heads of state and heads of government.

In fact foreign government officials who attended the opening ceremony were not all chairpersons and secretary-generals of national Olympic Committees heads of state and heads of government. Ministers and deputy ministers from some countries did attend and it is unclear why the Taiwan government failed to insist that Minister Tang attend and her absence is also a lost opportunity.

※以上言论不代表旺中媒体集团立场※