Taiwan's Foreign Ministry expressed strong disapproval towards the organizers of the Paris Olympics after an incident where a towel bearing the word "Taiwan" was confiscated from a Taiwanese sports fan at the badminton event. The ministry labeled this action as "excessive enforcement," occurring during a match featuring the gold medalist team from the Tokyo Olympics representing Taiwan as "Chinese Taipei" against a pair from Denmark.
Reports from Taiwan media detailed how a Taiwanese individual in the audience had their towel, emblazoned with "Taiwan," seized by staff, while another individual had a banner supporting Taiwan taken by an unidentified person. The latter, suspected to be mainland Chinese by local media, was reportedly removed from the venue by event staff, prompting Taiwan's Foreign Ministry to denounce the behavior as "rude and despicable."
The Foreign Ministry's statement further criticized the individual's behavior as not just lacking in manners but also a direct violation of the principles of civility that the Olympic Games stand for. The incident underscored the ongoing tensions between China and Taiwan, which have remained separate since a civil war in 1949, with recent escalations due to Beijing's objections towards Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te whom they view as a separatist.