When the Taiwanese national team won the historic gold medal in the men’s badminton doubles against rival Chinese team at the Paris 2024 Olympics, it was highlighted once again how political dynamics also characterize sports. So much so that, on the podium, the two Taiwanese badminton players were not able to sing the national anthem, nor see the Taiwanese flag descending on their heads.

This, unfortunately, is not news. Taiwan does not participate in the Olympic Games under the name “Taiwan” or “Republic of China” (the official name of the island), but as “Chinese Taipei”. An important lexical choice, which shows how much China has exercised (and continues to do so) its power also in sports organizations and international institutions.

The name “Chinese Taipei” and the absence of the Taiwanese flag and anthem are the result of a compromise that the Taiwanese government reached with the International Olympic Committee in 1981, when martial law was still in force on the island and the Guomindang was the only party, which dreamed of one day regaining control of mainland China. Then, this name also came into use in other contexts to avoid diplomatic incidents with the People’s Republic of China, the official name of mainland China. In short, to contain the wrath of the Asian giant.

But things have changed a lot since that distant 1981. The period of White Terror in Taiwan (which had imposed martial law) ended in 1987 and the first free elections were held in 1996. The last ones, in January 2024, entrusted the leadership of the government of Taipei to the democrat Lai Ching-te, internationally known as William Lai, who now has to face the constant and increasingly pressing threats of the Chinese president Xi Jinping who, by 2027 (the year of the centenary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army), aims to reunify Taiwan with the motherland. Which is, for the Chinese leader, a historical certainty.

The badminton match: a sporting or political clash?

Let’s get to the badminton match. What has been shown on television and social media around the world during these Olympic Games is the fierce opposition to the supporters of Taiwanese athletes even in the stands of the Arena Porte de La Chapelle. This is the case of Angelina Yang, a Taiwanese student who lives and studies in France. The young woman wanted to watch the badminton match between the Chinese and Taiwanese national teams on August 4 and, aware of the political dynamics that revolve around Taiwan – claimed by Beijing as Chinese territory – and the Olympic rules, she created what she thought was a non-controversial sign: the outline of her home island, with the words “jiayou Taiwan” (go Taiwan) written in Chinese. She showed it during the match for a few seconds, before a Chinese man arrived and snatched it from her hands.

Taiwan’s foreign ministry described the incident as violent and contrary to the Olympic values ​​of friendship and respect. It asked French authorities to investigate. In response, the International Olympic Committee defended itself by hiding behind “very clear rules” that prohibit banners. IOC spokesman Mark Adams intervened to clarify that the incident falls within the set of rules and conditions for entry to Olympic venues indicated to spectators on each ticket. Those entering Olympic stadiums know that they can only display flags of the countries and territories participating in the games and prohibit any banners that express political messages.

So far so good, except that China seems to be behind the actions of some security men in the stands of the Parisian Arena. Taiwanese media cite a post and a video shot by a Taiwanese YouTuber, who calls himself Pourquoi La France, showing a Chinese woman giving the order to the security guards of the Olympic stadium to take away the banners of Taiwanese fans during the men’s badminton doubles final. The YouTuber said that the Chinese woman ordered “security and volunteers to seize all the banners related to Taiwan”, to whom she then distributed gifts to thank them for their “cooperation”.

The most serious accusation was made by Taipei political analyst J. Michael Cole, who said the Chinese woman had instructed security personnel on “which banners should be removed.” Among them were signs that read “Let’s Go Taiwan,” “Tai WAN No. 1,” and “Bon Courage” (good luck in French). There was nothing the Taiwanese supporters could do: their signs of support for the Taiwanese athletes, despite not containing political messages or symbols, were removed by Olympic security, who responded and obeyed the pressure exerted by China also in the international sports arena. Some call it nationalism, but it would be more appropriate to call it bullying “with Chinese characteristics.”