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Canoe polo players told to pay NT$100,000 before world championships

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Official statement Ongoing story
  • Canoe polo player Sung Chun-hsi said athletes were unexpectedly asked to pay NT$100,000 each before traveling to Germany for the world championships on Sept. 13.
  • The Canoe Association said its selection rules required athletes to cover costs not met by government subsidies and denied promising that participation would be entirely free.
  • Taiwan’s Sports Administration ordered clearer disclosure of fees, payment deadlines and cancellation costs, and asked the association to strengthen athlete protections.

Taiwan’s canoe polo team learned just before its trip to Germany that each player might have to pay NT$100,000, after being told following the March selection trials that they could focus on training without self-funded expenses.

Sung Chun-hsi raised the issue on social media and appealed to Sports Minister Lee Yang. The national team is scheduled to leave on Sept. 13 for the world championships, but players received a bill on the second and were reportedly given until 5 p.m. that day to decide whether to compete. The sudden demand left the team caught off guard.

self-funded NT$100,000

· Sung Chun-hsiThe player described the amount athletes were suddenly told to pay before the world championships.

The Canoe Association rejected the accusation that it had promised athletes would pay nothing. It said the selection rules for the 2026 World Canoe Polo Championships clearly state that participation costs beyond Sports Administration subsidies must be raised independently. The association also said it had updated the team group about fundraising and possible athlete expenses on July 2 and Aug. 26.

The Sports Administration said the principle of covering any shortfall does not remove the need to explain the actual amount players may owe, when payment is due and what the charges cover. It also said the association must verify which costs have already been incurred and which cannot be canceled or refunded if an athlete withdraws. The administration is seeking clearer procedures, earlier financial disclosure and better communication with athletes. The planned delegation consists of four teams and 45 people.

not completely self-funded

· Canoe AssociationThe association said it had never promised that athletes would pay nothing.
About this summary

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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