TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Ministry of Education (MOE, 教育部) voiced its commitment to prioritizing the rights of athletes on Monday (June 2) following the Table Tennis Association's (桌球協會) decision to revoke 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian's (葉伊恬) qualification for the U.S. World Table Tennis (WTT). The ministry emphasized that the best interests of athletes align with the nation's greatest interests.
The ministry instructed the Sports Administration (體育署) to implement recommendations from the advisory committee during the formation of the new sports department, aiming to enhance governance across individual sports associations. After receiving a complaint, the Sports Administration contacted the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA, 中華民國桌球協會), urging it to respect and support Yeh's desire to compete in the WTT U.S. Grand Slam.
Deputy Minister Chang Liao Wan-chien (張廖萬堅) highlighted the case's impact on Yeh's participation rights and criticized the association's passive stance, which damaged its governance image. He stressed that the ministry demands a public explanation from the association and an apology to the athlete for any mishandling, urging accountability.
Chang Liao noted that the new sports department will be officially established this September, requiring an overhaul in governance to improve training and competition conditions for athletes. The ministry reiterated that safeguarding athletes' fundamental rights in training and competition remains a core principle of government sports policy and will continue supervising associations to uphold an athlete-centered governance philosophy.
