Both the global Olympic committee and its Taiwanese constituent have confirmed athletes from the self-ruled island will compete under the name “Chinese Taipei” at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, contrary to baseless claims shared repeatedly on Facebook.
“According to a reliable source from the International Olympic Committee, Taiwan will be allowed to compete in this year’s Paris 2024 Olympics under the name of ‘Taiwan’ instead of ‘Chinese Taipei’,” read the traditional Chinese caption of a Facebook post shared on June 6, 2024.
“This will be the first ever time that our Taiwanese athletes will be able to participate in the Olympic Games as honourable and independent nationals.”
Taiwan — viewed by Beijing as its territory — has competed under the name “Chinese Taipei” and a white “Plum Blossom Banner” that carries the Olympic rings at the Games since 1981, a compromise that would allow Taiwan to take part in sports without presenting itself as a sovereign nation.
Instead of Taiwan’s national anthem, a traditional flag-raising song is played when athletes are on the podium.
But the name is a source of frustration for many Taiwanese, who say it is humiliating and note that other disputed or unrecognised places, such as Palestine, get to use their own name and flag.
Similar Facebook posts falsely claimed the island would compete in Paris under the name Taiwan here and here.
But the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has not made any such announcement and Taiwan remains listed as “Chinese Taipei” on its website, as of June 13, 2024 (archived here and here).
The “Chinese Taipei” name for Taiwan’s Olympics delegation remains unchanged, the IOC said.
“The name, emblem, flag and anthem have been agreed upon a long time ago and this agreement remains unchanged and fully applicable,” the IOC told AFP on June 10, 2024 — referring to agreements made with Beijing and Taipei in 1979 and 1981 to allow Chinese Taipei to compete under that name.
The Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee’s website displays the name “Chinese Taipei” and the plum blossom emblem with Olympic rings (archived link).
A spokesperson for the committee confirmed to AFP that the delegation will compete in Paris Olympics in 2024 under the name “Chinese Taipei”.
Source Agencies
