The Paris Olympics is confiscating banners and signs showing "Taiwan" and it's caused a huge controversy.
Men's Doubles Semifinals - Porte de La Chapelle Arena, Paris, France - August 02, 2024. A supporter holds a towel referencing Taiwan during a badminton match. REUTERS/Ann Wang
During the Men’s Doubles Badminton semi-final match between Taiwan and Denmark on Friday, Aug. 2, Olympics security was seen snatching away one fan’s green towel, which had the words “Taiwan” on it.
A Reuters journalist who captured the scene told Almost that security officers later took the towel out of the arena.
An Olympics spokesperson said only the flags of countries participating in the Games are allowed to be displayed by fans in Olympic venues.
Four-year-old Wali Choi of Taiwan waves a Taiwanese flag outside the Olympic Stadium in Montreal, Canada, July 6th 1976. (Photo by UPI/Bettmann/Getty Images)
It added that the Games also forbid banners with "political messages".
via Getty Images
Taiwan has competed at the Olympics and other major international sporting events under the name “Chinese Taipei” and use a plum blossom flag due to longstanding pressure from China, which claims Taiwan as its territory.
Quake and Tzu Ying Tai, Flagbearers of Team Chinese Taipei, are seen on a boat waving their flag along the River Seine during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 on July 26, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images)
Taiwan has changed the names it competes with and has boycotted or been banned from the Olympics several times due to disagreements about its name.
The olympic team from Formosa, now Taiwan, complaining after they were forced to change their name from the Republic of China to Formosa. (Photo by Douglas Miller/Keystone/Getty Images)
Taiwan's flag is also one of three flags banned by the Olympics, along with those of Russia and Belarus due to their involvement in the Ukraine war.
Say what you want about Republic of China (Taiwan) flag, but putting it next to these two is simply disgraceful.
Taiwan with its 60 athletes is still not allowed to compete in the Olympics under the name “Taiwan”.
At the same match earlier, a Taiwanese woman holding up a Taiwan-shaped sign had it violently ripped away by another fan.
A security member stands behind a fan holding a sign depicting the shape of the island of Taiwan with a caption reading "come on Taiwan" in the audience during the men's doubles badminton semi-final match between Denmark and Taiwan in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. (Photo by Arun SANKAR / AFP)
The two incidents at the badminton semi-final on Friday have gone viral and sparked outrage online.
Taiwan's Wang Chi-lin and Lee Yang watch the shuttle in the men's doubles badminton semi-final match against Denmark during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Porte de la Chapelle Arena in Paris on August 2, 2024. (Photo by Luis TATO / AFP)
A security member removes a banner showing the name "Taiwan" from a fan in the audience during the men's doubles badminton semi-final match between Denmark and Taiwan in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Porte de la Chapelle Arena in Paris on August 2, 2024. (Photo by Arun SANKAR / AFP)
It also condemned the other fan for snatching the Taiwanese woman's sign and said the case has been reported to French police.
In 2018, Taiwan held a referendum on whether to change its Olympics name from Chinese Taipei to Taiwan.
This picture taken on October 20, 2018 shows a demonstrator holding a placard in support of Taiwan during a rally ahead of an identity referendum in Taipei. via Getty Images
It came after Taiwanese athletes, including an Olympics medalist, said it was “humiliating” being the only country banned from using its name at the Olympics.
Maureen Caird (left) of Australia crosses the finish line to win the gold medal in the Women's 80-meter hurdles, in the 1968 Olympics. In the next lane is the third place winner, Cheng Chi of Taiwan.
However, some athletes also opposed the name change, saying they could lose out on participating in future games as the International Olympic Committee had warned Taiwan it could be banned if it changed its name.
Flag bearers Ping-Jui Ho and Yu Ting Huang of Team Chinese Taipei carry their flag during the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at the Beijing National Stadium on February 04, 2022 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images)
The referendum to change Taiwan's Olympic name ended up being rejected by Taiwanese voters.
Flag bearers Hsing-Chun Kuo and Yen-Hsun Lu of Team Chinese Taipei during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
What do you think? Should Taiwan be allowed to compete at the Olympics under Team Taiwan?
The Chinese Taipei delegation parades during the opening ceremony of the XVI Winter Olympics Games at Ceremonies Stadium 08 February 1992 in Albertville. (FILM) AFP PHOTO/JUNJI KUROKAWA (Photo by JUNJI KUROKAWA/AFP via Getty Images)
Kassy Cho
