Fans at this year’s Paris Olympics have faced challenges supporting Taiwan because of restrictions on certain messaging during the Games.
According to reports and videos, spectators who carried banners with the word Taiwan on them have had their signs ripped from their hands. In one video featuring Taiwanese athletes winning gold on the podium, a fan in the background could be seen having a sign snatched away.
Taiwan’s foreign ministry said it “strongly condemns the crude and despicable means of malicious individuals ruthlessly snatching the ‘Go Taiwan’ slogan”.
The ministry went on to describe the incident as violent and an act that “violates the rule of law and infringes on freedom of speech”.
Signs displaying political messages are banned at the Olympic Games but many were left wondering why the word Taiwan is restricted. Here’s what you need to know.
Why the word Taiwan is banned at the Paris Olympics?
The word Taiwan is not explicitly banned from the Olympics but it is restricted in many ways. Its flag is also banned from the Games, alongside those of Belarus and Russia. But why?
Taiwan has had a separate government from China since 1949 and has its own constitution and democratically elected leaders. However, many countries, under pressure from China, have stopped recognising it or have ended diplomatic ties with the island.
Rather than see it as its own country, the People's Republic of China (PRC) government classes it as a breakaway province and believes it should come under Beijing’s rule. In an effort to ease political tensions, it was agreed with the IOC in 1981 that Taiwan could compete at international events under the name Chinese Taipei.
So for decades, Taiwanese athletes have competed as representatives of Chinese Taipei rather than Taiwan – a rule that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) strictly enforces.
According to the Guardian, that rule is enforced as a result of pressure from the PRC, which wants to lessen Taiwan’s international influence as much as possible. This forms part of a wider One China policy that stipulates the diplomatic recognition of Beijing as the only Chinese government.
As reported by Reuters, IOC spokesperson Mark Adams maintained that only the display of flags of countries and territories participating in the Games is permitted.
Given that Taiwan isn’t recognised as participating that could explain why some signs have been removed from spectators.
