Tue, Mar 12, 2024 page3

• CTFA draws flak for ‘mishandling’ World Cup qualifier

  ‘NEGLIGENCE’: Legislators questioned the sports agency head amid public anger over the changes in the venue and timing of a World Cup qualifier match

  • By Jason Pan / Staff reporter
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  National soccer association the CTFA yesterday came under fire in the legislature over its handling of an upcoming World Cup qualifier match, after it changed the venue from Taipei to Kaohsiung.

  Sports Administration Director Cheng Shih-chung (鄭世忠) was questioned by lawmakers at a meeting of the Education and Culture Committee about a string of controversies and issues at the CTFA over the past few weeks.

  Cheng admitted that there was “administrative negligence” by CTFA officials, such as changing the site from the Taipei Municipal Stadium to the Nanzih Football Stadium in Kaohsiung when Taiwan hosts Kyrgyzstan on March 21, in Asia’s Group D 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier.

  

  Members of the Taiwan women’s national team are pictured in an undated photograph posted on Chinese Taipei Football Association’s (CTFA) Facebook page.

  Photo: Screen grab from CTFA’s Facebook page

  The CTFA was planning to hold the match at the 20,000-seat Taipei Municipal Stadium — the venue of the 2017 Universiade and other major competitions — but the Taipei City Government ruled the stadium out, saying it was under field maintenance and the CTFA’s request came too late.

  The CTFA then opted to use the 50,000-seat Kaohsiung National Stadium, which has hosted numerous league matches and international qualifiers, but it was also rejected as the venue was preparing for Taiwanese rock band Mayday’s (五月天) concerts through the final week of this month.

  With less than two weeks to go before the match, the CTFA on Thursday announced that the game would be held at Kaohsiung’s Nanzih Football Stadium.

  As the stadium has a smaller seating capacity of 1,200 and does not have sufficient lighting for an evening match, the game has been moved up to 4pm.

  Given these two factors, the CTFA said it would not sell tickets to the game, but supporters can request a free ticket prior to the match.

  That did not appease supporters, who together with some sports organizations, accused the CTFA of mishandling the event.

  They alleged negligence by the soccer body, saying it should have made arrangements for the game venue last year.

  Moreover, holding the game in the afternoon would mean workers and students might miss the game, they said.

  Cheng drew flak at the legislative meeting, as his agency has oversight and allocates funding for all sports governing bodies.

  The situation has led to the public losing faith in the CTFA and in the Sports Administration’s ability to oversee the soccer body, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chen Pei-yu (陳培瑜) said.

  “It is regrettable that our national team cannot play in front of a full-capacity crowd of fans at a big stadium to boost their confidence, and many fans cannot attend the game because it starts in the afternoon,” she said.

  The CTFA had issued apologies three times in recent weeks to appease the public over the change in venue and timing, in addition to allegations that it had forced the women’s national squad to sign an agreement that players and pundits said contained unfair and exploitative conditions, she said.

  DPP Legislator Fan Yun (范雲) called on sports officials to conduct a probe and submit a report to the legislature within three months concerning allegations that women’s squad had been asked to sign agreements giving the CTFA permission to use their image and video rights for commercial purposes, which she said was the soccer body profiting off players in collusion with businesses.

  Taiwan People’s Party Legislator-at-large Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) said the government had spent billions of New Taiwan dollars to improve national soccer, “but we have made no progress and instead have slid in FIFA rankings.”

  “People have seen a string of ridiculous incidents at the CTFA, and nothing has been done to address these issues,” he added.
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