The government is to withhold a NT$3 million (US$91,274) payment to soccer governing body the CTFA after the New Zealand women’s national team called off two matches against Taiwan due to concerns over the condition of the pitch, a sports official said on Wednesday.
A behind-closed-doors training game set to be played on Saturday and a full international friendly match scheduled for Tuesday at Kaohsiung Nanzih Football Stadium were called off.
Following the cancelation, Sports Administration Director-General Cheng Shih-chung (鄭世忠) said during a legislative session that the agency would cancel a NT$3 million payment to the CTFA.
Photo: Lee Hui-chou, Taipei Times
The agency has made strong representations to the CTFA instructing it to improve the condition of the pitch, he said.
In response to questions from Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Ko Chih-en (柯志恩), Cheng said he was made aware of the problem on Tuesday last week and had last year instructed the CTFA to strengthen turf maintenance in the three to four weeks preceding the matches.
The incident indicates there was miscommunication between the CTFA’s competition and technical departments, he said.
“This is a disgrace, I have nothing else to say,” Minister of Education Cheng Ying-yao (鄭英耀) said during the legislative session, adding that the Sports Administration would conduct a thorough review to ensure all necessary preparations are made in advance of future matches.
Ko said she learned in September last year that Kaohsiung Nanzih Football Stadium had been leased until last month, which made it impossible to undertake turf maintenance before the matches.
Kaohsiung Nanzih Football Stadium, completed in 2022 at a cost of NT$350 million, immediately drew criticism from the public because it failed to meet FIFA certification criteria.
The stadium has two pitches, one grass and one with an artificial surface, and a capacity of 1,200 seats.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs has fined Taobao NT$1.2 million (US$36,912) for advertisements that exceed its approved business scope, requiring the Chinese e-commerce platform to make corrections in the first half of this year or its license may be revoked. Lawmakers have called for stricter enforcement of Chinese e-commerce platforms and measures to prevent China from laundering its goods through Taiwan in response to US President Donald Trump’s heavy tariffs on China. The Legislative Yuan’s Finance Committee met today to discuss policies to prevent China from dumping goods in Taiwan, inviting government agencies to report. Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Kuo Kuo-wen (郭國文) said
The Ministry of Economic Affairs has fined Taobao NT$1.2 million (US$36,900) for advertisements that exceeded its approved business scope and ordered the Chinese e-commerce platform to make corrections in the first half of this year or its license would be revoked. Lawmakers have called for stricter supervision of Chinese e-commerce platforms and more stringent measures to prevent China from laundering its goods through Taiwan as US President Donald Trump’s administration cracks down on origin laundering. The legislature’s Finance Committee yesterday met to discuss policies to prevent China from dumping goods in Taiwan, inviting government agencies to report on the matter. Democratic Progressive Party
Taiwan and its Pacific ally Tuvalu on Tuesday signed two accords aimed at facilitating bilateral cooperation on labor affairs, according to Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). The governments inked two agreements in Taipei, witnessed by Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) and visiting Deputy Tuvaluan Prime Minister Panapasi Nelesone, MOFA said in a news release. According to MOFA, the agreements will facilitate cooperation on labor issues and allow the two sides to mutually recognize seafarers’ certificates and related training. Taiwan would also continue to collaborate with Tuvalu across various fields to promote economic prosperity as well as the well-being of their
Sung Chien-liang (宋建樑), who led efforts to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lee Kun-cheng (李坤城), was released on bail of NT$80,000 today amid outcry over his decision to wear a Nazi armband to questioning the night before. Sung arrived at the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office for questioning in a recall petition forgery case last night wearing a red armband bearing a swastika, carrying a copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf and giving a Nazi salute. Sung left the building at 1:15am without the armband and covering the book with his coat. Lee said today that this is a serious
RSS