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.
A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck off Yilan at 11:05pm yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The epicenter was located at sea, about 32.3km east of Yilan County Hall, at a depth of 72.8km, CWA data showed There were no immediate reports of damage. The intensity of the quake, which gauges the actual effect of a seismic event, measured 4 in Yilan County area on Taiwan’s seven-tier intensity scale, the data showed. It measured 4 in other parts of eastern, northern and central Taiwan as well as Tainan, and 3 in Kaohsiung and Pingtung County, and 2 in Lienchiang and Penghu counties and 1
A car bomb killed a senior Russian general in southern Moscow yesterday morning, the latest high-profile army figure to be blown up in a blast that came just hours after Russian and Ukrainian delegates held separate talks in Miami on a plan to end the war. Kyiv has not commented on the incident, but Russian investigators said they were probing whether the blast was “linked” to “Ukrainian special forces.” The attack was similar to other assassinations of generals and pro-war figures that have either been claimed, or are widely believed to have been orchestrated, by Ukraine. Russian Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov, 56, head
SAFETY FIRST: Double the number of police were deployed at the Taipei Marathon, while other cities released plans to bolster public event safety Authorities across Taiwan have stepped up security measures ahead of Christmas and New Year events, following a knife and smoke bomb attack in Taipei on Friday that left four people dead and 11 injured. In a bid to prevent potential copycat incidents, police deployments have been expanded for large gatherings, transport hubs, and other crowded public spaces, according to official statements from police and city authorities. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said the city has “comprehensively raised security readiness” in crowded areas, increased police deployments with armed officers, and intensified patrols during weekends and nighttime hours. For large-scale events, security checkpoints and explosives
‘POLITICAL GAME’: DPP lawmakers said the motion would not meet the legislative threshold needed, and accused the KMT and the TPP of trivializing the Constitution The Legislative Yuan yesterday approved a motion to initiate impeachment proceedings against President William Lai (賴清德), saying he had undermined Taiwan’s constitutional order and democracy. The motion was approved 61-50 by lawmakers from the main opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the smaller Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), who together hold a legislative majority. Under the motion, a roll call vote for impeachment would be held on May 19 next year, after various hearings are held and Lai is given the chance to defend himself. The move came after Lai on Monday last week did not promulgate an amendment passed by the legislature that
RSS