A spectator at the Paris Olympics was removed from the stands at a badminton match after snatching a banner that read “Go Taiwan” from a woman while she was being confronted by security for brandishing the name of the forbidden country.
While Taiwan, officially named the Republic of China (ROC), does compete at the Olympics, its athletes bear the label of “Chinese Taipei.” They cannot wear the Taiwanese flag or play their own national anthem.
Banners with the flag or name of Taiwan are prohibited from being displayed during the Olympic Games, CNN reported.
While conflicting reports have been published by CNN and Reuters on who was actually ejected from the match, it appears that a woman waving a green banner that read “Go Taiwan” had her flag stolen and ripped by an angry male spectator, leading to him being escorted out by security.
Before the man snatched away the woman’s flag, the nearby security guard appeared to have been communicating with someone over his radio to see what to do about the banned banner.
An X post made by Italy-based Chinese influencer Li Ying shows the moment a man in a pink shirt and red hat attempted to block the pro-Taiwan banner with his body before ripping it away from the woman’s hands:
8月2日,巴黎奥运羽毛球男子双打比赛中
— 李老师不是你老师 (@whyyoutouzhele) August 2, 2024
有观众手举“台湾加油”的标牌在看台加油时,出现一名红帽粉衣男子先是用身体挡住标牌,随后更是直接一把抢走标牌并试图逃跑。
现场观众合力将他拦住,之后工作人员将其带走。 pic.twitter.com/Z85rfIce52
He was promptly removed from the stadium, but CNN originally reported that he was the fan brandishing the green banner — which was in the color of Taiwan’s pro-independence party.
Other Taiwanese flags have also been spotted at the Olympics:
Taiwan’s flag spotted (officially banned from the Olympics) 🇹🇼 pic.twitter.com/pJpmJpo0D6
— read.pourteaux.xyz 🇺🇸 (@pourteaux) July 29, 2024
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it “strongly condemns the crude and despicable means of malicious individuals ruthlessly snatching the ‘Go Taiwan’ slogan,” in a statement obtained by the outlet.
“This violent act is not only uneducated, but also seriously violates the civilized spirit represented by the Olympic Games. It also violates the rule of law and infringes on freedom of speech,” the ministry added.
Francois Wu, referred to as Taiwan’s “de facto ambassador to France” by CNN, said he has reported the incident to local police.
“Thank you to the students who have worked hard to cheer for our badminton heroes! Come on Taiwan,” Wu wrote alongside a picture of himself and the woman who carried the banner in a Facebook post viewed by the outlet.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) spokesman Mark Adams responded to the incident by citing the Olympics’ rules for spectators, which state that “only flags of countries and territories participating in the Games are allowed.”