Taiwan’s athletic team for the Beijing Winter Olympics has confirmed it will be at the opening and closing ceremonies after being told by the International Olympic Committee it was required to participate
Taiwan, a Chinese-claimed nation, has feared officials in Beijing could “downgrade” Taiwan’s status by placing its athletes alongside those from Hong Kong, a country run by China.
Taiwan, which has no winter sporting tradition and has never won a medal at the winter Games has confirmed it will be sending four athletes to Beijing.
The nation is sending the same number as the last winter Games in 2018.
Taiwan earlier stated the team would not be at the opening or closing ceremonies, blaming delayed flights and tough anti-COVID-19 rules.
But in a new development, Taiwan’s Olympic committee confirmed late Monday it had received “several notices” from the International Olympic Committee “requiring all delegations to the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics to cooperate in sending personnel to attend the opening and closing ceremonies”.
The Beijing Games are happening amid increasing tensions between China and Taiwan, including repeated Chinese military activity near the island.
