The government is to pay at least NT$285.5 million (US$10.26 million) to national team athletes and their coaches after record-breaking performances at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Taiwanese athletes have won 12 medals — two gold, four silver and six bronze — at the Games in the nation’s best-ever Olympic showing.
An Olympic gold-medal winner can receive a one-time prize of NT$20 million from the government, a silver awardee NT$7 million and a bronze winner NT$5 million, according to the Regulations Governing the Issuance of Guo Guang Athletic Medals and Scholarships (國光體育獎章及獎助學金頒發辦法).
Photo courtesy of EasyCard Corp
Weightlifter Kuo Hsing-chun (郭婞淳) and the badminton duo Lee Yang (李洋) and Wang Chi-lin (王齊麟) are to each receive NT$20 million for winning gold medals.
Medalists can also choose to receive the money in monthly payments, meaning a gold winner would receive NT$125,000 per month, a silver winner NT$38,000 and a bronze winner NT$24,000.
The Sports Administration also increases the prizes for medalists of certain disciplines, such as gymnastics, swimming, and track and field, who could receive 50 percent more.
For example, gymnast Lee Chih-kai (李智凱), dubbed the “prince of the pommel horse,” could receive NT$7 million plus NT$3.5 million for winning a silver.
Athletes who enter the round-of-eight in a competition are rewarded as well. An athlete placing fourth could receive a one-time prize of NT$3 million, while fifth and sixth place could receive NT$1.5 million. Those who enter a quarter-final without advancing to a semi-final would also receive NT$1.5 million.
Table tennis player Lin Yun-ju (林昀儒) could earn NT$9.5 million for his performance — NT$5 million for winning bronze in mixed doubles, NT$3 million for placing fourth in the men’s singles and NT$1.5 million for finishing fifth in the men’s team matches.
In addition, the Sports Administration last year amended the Regulations Governing Meritorious Coaches (有功教練獎勵辦法) to increase the rewards for coaches of award-winning athletes competing in the Asian Games or Olympic Games.
For example, Kuo’s weightlifting coach, Lin Geng-neng (林敬能), is eligible to receive a prize of NT$5 million, up from NT$3 million.
Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said yesterday that Taiwanese are proud of national team athletes, as they often emphasize their origin as Taiwan after winning medals.
Su also commented on the resignation of Sports Administration Director-General Chang Shao-hsi (張少熙) over the flight seating arrangements for Taiwanese athletes.
On July 19, badminton star Tai Tzu-ying (戴資穎) posted a photograph of herself on Instagram, sitting in the economy class section of a China Airlines flight to Tokyo. Shortly after the post, it was discovered that some Taiwanese sports officials were seated in business class.
Su said that the government would review the issue after all athletes had returned from the Games.
Separately, EasyCard Corp yesterday announced a two-card set marking Tai’s silver medal win at the Games.
The set features Tai’s signature and her motto, “Believe in Yourself,” which came from her father and is tattooed on her left wrist, it said.
Sold at NT$350, the cards are available for pre-order from 11am today until 11:59pm on Thursday at 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Hi-Life and OK Mart convenience stores, it said.
EasyCard has worked with Tai previously for card promotions.
Additional reporting by Lu Hsiu-hsien and Tsai Ya-hua
A Chinese freighter that allegedly snapped an undersea cable linking Taiwan proper to Penghu County is suspected of being owned by a Chinese state-run company and had docked at the ports of Kaohsiung and Keelung for three months using different names. On Tuesday last week, the Togo-flagged freighter Hong Tai 58 (宏泰58號) and its Chinese crew were detained after the Taipei-Penghu No. 3 submarine cable was severed. When the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) first attempted to detain the ship on grounds of possible sabotage, its crew said the ship’s name was Hong Tai 168, although the Automatic Identification System (AIS)
An Akizuki-class destroyer last month made the first-ever solo transit of a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ship through the Taiwan Strait, Japanese government officials with knowledge of the matter said yesterday. The JS Akizuki carried out a north-to-south transit through the Taiwan Strait on Feb. 5 as it sailed to the South China Sea to participate in a joint exercise with US, Australian and Philippine forces that day. The Japanese destroyer JS Sazanami in September last year made the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s first-ever transit through the Taiwan Strait, but it was joined by vessels from New Zealand and Australia,
SECURITY: The purpose for giving Hong Kong and Macau residents more lenient paths to permanent residency no longer applies due to China’s policies, a source said The government is considering removing an optional path to citizenship for residents from Hong Kong and Macau, and lengthening the terms for permanent residence eligibility, a source said yesterday. In a bid to prevent the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from infiltrating Taiwan through immigration from Hong Kong and Macau, the government could amend immigration laws for residents of the territories who currently receive preferential treatment, an official familiar with the matter speaking on condition of anonymity said. The move was part of “national security-related legislative reform,” they added. Under the amendments, arrivals from the Chinese territories would have to reside in Taiwan for
CRITICAL MOVE: TSMC’s plan to invest another US$100 billion in US chipmaking would boost Taiwan’s competitive edge in the global market, the premier said The government would ensure that the most advanced chipmaking technology stays in Taiwan while assisting Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) in investing overseas, the Presidential Office said yesterday. The statement follows a joint announcement by the world’s largest contract chipmaker and US President Donald Trump on Monday that TSMC would invest an additional US$100 billion over the next four years to expand its semiconductor manufacturing operations in the US, which would include construction of three new chip fabrication plants, two advanced packaging facilities, and a research and development center. The government knew about the deal in advance and would assist, Presidential
RSS