Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Taiwan taekwondo athlete Yang suspended for three months (update)

Taipei, Dec. 21 (CNA) Taiwanese taekwondo athlete Yang Shu-chun was given a three-month suspension Tuesday by the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) for protesting her disqualification during the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games, the Sports Affairs Council (SAC) said Tuesday at a press conference.

Yang was punished for staging a sit-in protest in the competition area Nov. 17 after she was disqualified on grounds of wearing extra electronic sensors in her socks.

The WTF ruling means that Yang will not be allowed to compete in any international sports events for the next three months. Her coach Liu Tsung-ta was slapped with a 20-month suspension, effective immediately.

The Chinese Taipei Taekwondo Association (CTTA) was fined US$50,000 for "negligence and wrongdoing, " according to an email sent Tuesday by the WTF to inform the CTTA of its ruling.

In the email, WTF President Choue Chungwon also said that the committee had "found evidence of various attempts, in particular in the Taiwan media, to negatively incite and manipulate public perceptions."

According to the WTF, it's Sanctions Committee found Yang guilty of two separate violations -- using illegal equipment and interfering with the management of the competition.

"The suspension is not likely to affect my chances of competing in the 2014 London Olympics, but I feel sorry for my coach because he is obliged to stand up for his athletes, " said Yang, with tears rolling down her cheeks at the hastily called press conference.

Yang, 25, said that despite the "light" suspension, the WTF's accusation of her cheating was hard to swallow. "But it seems that I can't do anything at this moment to prove my innocence," she said.

Yang said she will have to consider whether or not to try to participate in the London Olympics.

CTTA President Chen Chien-ping said at the press conference that the penalty was "harsher than we had expected" but the CTTA was ready to pay the fine before the Jan. 31, 2011 deadline to ensure the participation of Taiwan athletes in future competitions.

SAC Minister Tai Hsia-ling said the 20-month suspension against Liu was a severe punishment and the SAC and the CTTA are mulling their next move to overturn the decision.

The WTF's Sanction Committee, comprising Egyptian, Israel and Turkish officials, reviewed the Yang issue Dec. 18 in Seoul, South Korea in a meeting that included Yang, Liu and Chen.

WTF officials said Yang had violated the competition rules by wearing extra electronic sensors on her socks during her opening bout to score more points, but video footage later showed she did not have the sensors on during the match.

After the decision, Yang refused to leave the ring. Contradictory statements by taekwondo officials explaining the disqualification later sparked outrage in Taiwan.

Taiwan has officially filed an appeal with the Lausanne-based Court of Arbitration for Sport against the disqualification. (By Chris Wang) enditem /pc