At a badminton match at the Paris Olympics, a spectator was ejected from the stands after snatching a banner reading “Go Taiwan” as security guards tackled a woman who was brandishing the name of a banned country.
Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China (ROC), is competing in the Olympics, but its athletes are labeled “Chinese Taipei” and cannot wear the Taiwanese flag or play the country’s national anthem.
Banners bearing Taiwan’s flag and name will be banned during the Olympics, CNN report.
CNN and Reuters As for who was actually ejected from the game, it appears that a woman waving a green flag that read “Go Taiwan” had her flag stolen and ripped by an angry male fan, who was then escorted away by security.
Before the man snatched the woman’s flag, a nearby security guard appeared to contact someone by radio to ask what to do about the banned banner.
A post on X by Italy-based Chinese influencer Li Ying showed the moment a man in a pink shirt and red hat tried to block a pro-Taiwan banner with his body, then snatched it from a woman’s hand.
August 2nd, Tomoe Rei Okuhame Ball Men’s Double Hitting Comparison
There is a handboard on the viewing platform that says “Taiwan Add Oil”. When adding, the man in the hat and powder coat with the name will use his body to grab the mark card, and then directly snatch the mark card, trying to miss the picture.
They believe the person was trapped at the scene and then workers removed the belt. pic.twitter.com/Z85rfIce52— Mr. Lee is not you (@whyyoutouzhele) August 2, 2024
He was quickly removed from the stadium, but CNN initially reported he was a fan waving a green flag, the colour of Taiwan’s pro-independence party.
Other Taiwanese flags were also seen at the Olympics:
Discover the Taiwanese flag (officially banned from the Olympics) 🇹🇼 pic.twitter.com/pJpmJpo0D6
— read.pourteaux.xyz 🇺🇸 (@pourteaux) July 29, 2024
“We strongly condemn the crude and despicable tactics used by malicious individuals to ruthlessly seize the slogan ‘Stay Up Taiwan’,” Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement obtained by the media.
“This act of violence is not only ignorant but also seriously violates the civilised spirit that the Olympic Games represent. It also violates the rule of law and infringes on freedom of speech,” the ministry added.
François Wu, who CNN describes as Taiwan’s “de facto ambassador to France,” said he had reported the incident to local police.
“Thank you to the students who worked so hard to support our badminton heroes! Go Taiwan,” Wu wrote in a Facebook post seen by the media, along with a photo of himself and a woman holding a banner.
Commenting on the incident, International Olympic Committee (IOC) spokesman Mark Adams cited Olympic spectator rules, saying “only flags of countries and territories taking part in the Games are permitted.”
