Under the leadership of China, East Asian Olympic Committee (EAOC) revoked Taichung City’s right to host the 2019 1st East Asian Youth Game because of Taiwan’s referendum. Ministry of Education’s Sports Administration invited the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee, Taichung City Government, and experts and scholars to have a discussion and negotiation meeting yesterday (26th). The consensus was reached by having Taichung City Mayor, Chia-Lung Lin, also the governor of the hosting city, service as the chairman of 2019 East Asian Youth Games Preparation Committee and file the claims to the chairman of EAOC and other member countries.

Yesterday morning, Taichung City Government representatives headed to Sports Administration to attend the meeting and discussed the claims and other possible grievance strategies with the central government and the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee. The Taichung City Deputy Mayor, Yi-Ying Lin, led the Director General of Legal Affair Bureau, Zi-Sheng Wu, and Taichung City Sports Bureau to attend the meeting.

During the meeting, the Deputy Mayor Lin said that Mayor Chia-Lung Lin appreciated the support and assistance from all parties and all agencies. Taichung City Government has the responsibility to defend athletes’ rights to partake in the Games. Legal Affair Bureau of Taichung City Government has already organized and drafted the claims. The Director-General of Legal Affair Bureau, Zi-Sheng Wu, said that Taichung City Government will base its claims on the host city contract, East Asian Olympic Games’ regulations, and Olympic Games’ regulations to assert that EAOC violated the spirits and regulations of International Olympic Games to revoke Taichung City’s right to host 2019 1st East Asian Youth Games while Taichung City Government did not violate rules and were also not provided any opportunities for explanations.

In the meeting, scholars from many disciplines and legal experts discussed the claims file and international mediation and arbitration as well as considering different plans and follow-up measures. All plans will be started and prepared at the same time to respond to appropriate moments according to the development of the situation.

The consensus was reached in the meeting. Mayor Chia-Lung Lin will sign the letter of claims and submit it to the chairman of EAOC and all member countries. Taichung City Government stated that it has begun to consolidate the opinions of the central units, the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee, and experts and scholars to work on a final review of the texts. Meanwhile, it also starts to coordinate with relevant units and communicate with international units to file the official claims.