Olympic security ejected a fan on Friday for displaying a green banner reading 'Go Taiwan' at a badminton match, causing a stir among Taiwan's authorities and highlighting the intricate rules that mandate Taiwan to participate as 'Chinese Taipei'.
Despite being officially known as the 'Republic of China' (ROC), Taiwan is considered by Beijing as its own territory, leading to strong opposition from China against any recognition of Taiwan as an independent nation, even in the realm of sports.
Taiwan competes in the Olympics as 'Chinese Taipei' due to a political compromise, which means it cannot use its own name, flag, or anthem.
According to sources, the fan was seen shouting as security removed him during the match. The green color of the banner he carried is associated with Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party and supporters of Taiwanese independence.
Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly denounced the fan's actions, calling them 'crude and despicable.' The ministry criticized the incident as a violation of the Olympic Games' civilized spirit, the rule of law, and freedom of speech.
The ministry has instructed Taiwan's representative in France to report the incident to local authorities and seek their assistance in preventing similar incidents in the future.
