Chinese players grabbed the flag of the Republic of China at the opening ceremony. (Retrieved from Chen Hsin-hong’s Facebook)
Officials at an international shooting competition in Indonesia on Thursday (August 29) disqualified a Chinese athlete who attempted to remove the Taiwanese flag.
The International Range Officials Association (IROA) made the announcement following the incident, which occurred during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Australian Handgun Championships, organised by the International Practical Shooting Federation (IPSC).
Taiwanese athlete and referee Chen Pinyu witnessed the incident and immediately reported it.
Chen Pinyu’s father, Chen Hsin-hong, explained that initially three Chinese participants had removed the flag, but only one remained when his son intervened.
Organizers responded by deploying personnel to guard the flag and protect Chen Pinyu.
Chen Hsin-hong said the organizers expressed regret and promised to prevent similar incidents.
He noted that representatives from at least 10 countries had condemned the Chinese participants’ unsportsmanlike behavior.
Chen Hsing-hung thanked the event organizers for their impartial handling of the situation and appreciated Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) for their proactive support.
