TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Protestors threw eggs at a photo of Taiwanese speed skater Huang Yu-ting (黃郁婷) on Monday (Feb. 7) to protest her selection as flag bearer despite having posted a video of herself practicing in a uniform from China's team.
Huang came under fire on Thursday (Feb. 3) after she posted the footage of herself training in a Chinese uniform. After Taiwanese netizens criticized her for sporting the uniform of a country that threatens to annex Taiwan by force, she took down the footage but defended her actions by stating that "sports did not take nationality into account."
Taiwan's Sports Administration said it would not take any disciplinary action against Huang for the incident but emphasized that athletes should exercise caution when making social media posts. As Huang is the only woman on the team to have qualified for two Winter Olympics, she served as the female flag bearer.
On Monday, members of pro-Taiwan independence group the Taiwan Republic Office (台灣國辦公室) gathered outside the Sports Administration building in Taipei to protest Huang's actions and her selection as flag bearer. Office director Chilly Chen (陳峻涵) hurled eggs at a placard displaying images of Huang clad in the Chinese uniform, acting Sports Administration Director-General Lin Teng-chiao (林騰蛟), and the Chinese flag.
Chen prepares to throw eggs at images of Huang and Lin. (Facebook, Taiwan Republic Office photo)
Members of the group then stomped on the egg-soaked images of Huang and Lin. Chen chastised Huang for not being apologetic for her actions.
Chen said Huang had tried to prevaricate by stating "let sports return to sports." He said acting Sports Administration Director-General Lin's statement that athletes should be more sensitive to political matters did little to calm public anger.
He stated that the Sports Administration insistence Huang remain the flag bearer was the "equivalent of endorsing her behavior." He said the uniform incident fed into the "one China principle" pushed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and demanded an explanation from Lin and Huang, adding that if the former fails to do so, "he should step down."
In response, Lan Kun-ten (藍坤田), the Sports Administration’s director of competitive athletics, stated that "Cultivating athletes is the government's responsibility and a long-term focus of the Sports Department." Lan said that NT$1.9 million was spent on Huang's training in 2021.
Regarding whether this subsidy will be affected by the incident, Lan said, "This part needs to be observed and evaluated."
Huang finished in 26th in the 1,500-meter event, matching her performance in the Pyeongchang Games in 2018. She will also compete in the 500m and 1,000m races on Feb. 13 and 17.
