Lawmakers yesterday passed amendments to the National Sports Act (國民體育法), which include articles aimed at eliminating nepotism and barring political influence within sports associations amid calls to reform the sports sector.
The amendments include an article stipulating that sports association presidents cannot have terms that exceed four years and must not serve more than two consecutive terms.
The article states that at least one-fifth of sports association members should be active or former athletes of the national sports team, while neither independent directors nor directors representing organizations should make up more than half of membership.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
In a bid to root out nepotism, something associations have been accused of, the amendments ban presidents and secretaries-general from hiring spouses or relatives within the third consanguinity, and the rule is to apply even if they were hired before the top officials took up their role.
The Ministry of Education, which oversees sports associations, is to inspect and evaluate them annually, the amendments state, adding that associations must comply with inspections and provide any requested information.
The amendments include rules on arbitration to deal with disputes between associations and athletes.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
According to the amended act, athletes protesting a decision made by an association can file for arbitration with any institute certified by the ministry within a given period and the association cannot deny them that right.
To help ensure financial transparency, the amendments mandate that sports associations truthfully disclose annual budgets, balances and subsidies they receive from government agencies.
The amended act also requires associations to introduce internal audit systems.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Huang Kuo-shu (黃國書), who introduced several draft amendments and was instrumental to the legislative effort, said that the passage of the amendments was a gift to athletes who competed for Taiwan at the Taipei Summer Universiade, which concluded on Wednesday; all the athletes who have been treated unfairly due to red tape; and all rising sports stars.
“Over the years, athletes have had to put up with the frustration of submitting to pressure from insulated and conservative associations that have the right to decide who represents the nation at international events,” Huang said.
“I hope that from now on, athletes and associations will no longer have to compromise for the nation,” he said.
Taiwan moved clear of Mexico to be the only country at No. 2 in the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Men’s Baseball World Rankings. Meanwhile, draft bills to set up a ministry of sports were approved at a joint session at the legislature in Taipei yesterday. After previously being tied with Mexico for second on 4,118 points, Taiwan moved clear on 5,498 points after they defeated Japan in the final of the WBSC Premier12 tournament on Sunday. Mexico (4,729) dropped to fourth, behind Venezuela (4,846), who finished fourth at the tournament. Taiwan narrowed the gap to first-placed Japan to 1,368 points from 1,638, WBSC
GLOBAL SUPPORT: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the motion highlighted the improper exclusion of Taiwan from international discussion and cooperative mechanisms Taiwan yesterday thanked the British parliament for passing a motion stating that UN Resolution 2758 does not involve Taiwan, making it the latest body to reject China’s interpretation of the resolution. The House of Commons on Thursday debated the international status of Taiwan and unanimously passed a pro-Taiwan motion stating that the House “notes that UN Resolution 2758 does not address the political status of Taiwan or establish PRC [People’s Republic of China] sovereignty over Taiwan and is silent both on the status of Taiwan in the UN and on Taiwanese participation in UN agencies.” British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Parliamentary
HIGH ALERT: The armed forces are watching for a potential military drill by China in response to the president’s trip, with the air force yesterday conducting an exercise President William Lai (賴清德) is to make stopovers in Hawaii and the US territory of Guam during his seven-day trip to the South Pacific, his first official visit since taking office in May, the Presidential Office said yesterday. Lai, accompanied by a delegation, is scheduled to depart for the South Pacific on a chartered flight at 4:30pm tomorrow, stopping first in Hawaii for a two-night layover before traveling to the Marshall Islands, an office official said. After wrapping up his visits to the Marshall Islands and Tuvalu, the president is to transit through Guam, spending a night there before flying to Palau,
‘IMPORTANCE OF PEACE’: President Lai was welcomed by AIT Managing Director Ingrid Larson, Hawaii Governor Josh Green, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi and others President William Lai (賴清德) was feted with red carpets, garlands of flowers and “alohas” as he began his two-day stopover in Hawaii on Saturday, part of a Pacific tour. Looking relaxed in a Hawaiian shirt, Lai flitted around the US island state, visiting the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, Hawaii’s leading museum of natural history and native Hawaiian culture, the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency and the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor. Lai was given the “red carpet treatment” on the tarmac of Honolulu’s international airport, his office said, adding that it was the first time a Taiwanese president had been given such
RSS