Amateur Sports

As introduced by the Taiwan Yearbook 2006:

Taiwan's limited market and small sports industry cause many athletes to be unable to pursue careers in sports. However, top athletes in certain disciplines, such as table tennis, badminton, baseball, basketball, and golf, can find employment opportunities in either businesses dedicated to sponsoring amateur sports competitions or professional sports organizations. The establishment of badminton, baseball, basketball, and table tennis teams by private and government-run corporations has helped shape Taiwan's amateur sports world.

The Republic of China Sports Federation is the primary body in charge of amateur sports in Taiwan. The federation falls under the jurisdiction of, and receives funding from, the NCPFS. The primary functions of the federation are to provide member sports associations with technical and administrative assistance, raise sports standards and administrative efficiency, increase participation in international competitions, and train athletes. As of 2005, the federation comprised 63 national sports organizations, representing sports ranging from archery, baseball, and basketball to weightlifting, wrestling, and yachting.

Winning medals in important international competitions has always been the best way for Taiwan's amateur athletes to earn recognition for their talent. Acknowledging this, the government in recent years has identified certain "key sports" at which Taiwan's athletes are more likely to excel in international competitions, such as the Olympic Games and the Asian Games.

In the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, for example, Taiwan's athletes performed superbly in taekwondo and archery, winning two gold, two silver, and one bronze medals. Taekwondo greats Chen Shih-hsin and Chu Mu-yen brought home the top honors, the first-ever gold medals for Taiwan in Olympic competition.

To help garner more gold medals in the 2008 Olympics, the NCPFS has launched a Challenge 2008 Gold Medal Plan, which provides US$32.5 million for intensive training in preparation for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Each year from 2005 to 2008, the training program, with an emphasis on 13 sports -- taekwondo, archery, shooting, weightlifting, table tennis, badminton, judo, golf, baseball, tennis, track and field, swimming, and gymnastics -- will recruit 300-500 athletes between 12 and 16 years of age as well as experienced athletes who have won international competitions. The NCPFS hopes that this will enable Taiwan's athletes to win seven gold medals at the 2008 Olympic Games.

To ensure that the training of talented athletes is not interrupted by compulsory military service, the NCPFS has drawn up regulations to allow young male athletes who perform well in major national or international competitions to serve at sports-related positions as an alternative to military service. Two types of such service have been implemented. The first takes the form of replacement service, which calls for two years of training at a national training center plus one year of on-call training. The second is substitute service, which requires athletes who place in national competitions to fulfill 20 months of sports training and/or sports-related work. As of 2005, a total of 180 athletes had participated in replacement service and 191 in substitute service.

The NCPFS also assists county and city governments in establishing training centers to teach fundamentals, with special attention given to the "key sports". In 2005, a total of 1,155 coaches and 13,204 athletes participated in training programs sponsored by 23 city and county governments at 172 centers.

Schools and sports associations can also apply for subsidies from the NCPFS for organizing sporting events, improving facilities, and strengthening training curriculum. In 2005, such subsidies totaled US$6.18 million.

For the training of athletes from high schools, colleges, class-A amateur teams, and national delegations, the responsibility is given to the senior high school sports federation, the university sports federation, individual sports organizations, and the National Sports Training Center, respectively.

The lack of a comprehensive coaching system is the biggest issue many school sports teams face. Although certified through a recruitment program launched by the Ministry of Education (MOE) in 1989, full-time coaches currently are not considered to be faculty in schools and thus, unlike certified full-time teachers, lack job security. This has, in turn, reduced individuals' willingness to commit to coaching. To solve this problem, the NCPFS finalized a new certification program in 2004 for full-time coaches. Now, athletes who desire to become coaches at schools must have certain qualifications and undergo a review by the NCPFS before they may be certified. According to regulations drafted by the MOE, certified coaches will be able to apply for positions in schools and be recognized as teaching faculty once hired.

To improve the quality of professional coaches and provide national champions with training curricula that meet international standards, the NCPFS initiated the Program for the Cultivation and Training of Elite Coaches in 2002. Under this program, coaches receive advanced training in foreign countries. As of 2005, 184 coaches had been sent to countries such as the United States, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and China to build upon their expertise in archery, gymnastics, judo, marksmanship, table tennis, taekwondo, track and field, and weightlifting.

Taiwan also hires distinguished foreign coaches to help Taiwan's athletes perform better in sports competitions. In 2005 alone, 18 coaches were invited to Taiwan to teach badminton, baseball, judo, rowing, rugby, softball, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, track and field, and volleyball.

To encourage athletes, the government has established the Guoguang Award Program. Outstanding sports professionals receive special medals and monetary awards in recognition of their achievements in international competitions. Between 1983 and 2005, the government awarded 9,509 Guoguang medals and US$79.37 million to coaches and athletes. Another prize, the Elite Award, was established in 1999 to recognize outstanding athletes, coaches, and other individuals who have made significant contributions to Taiwan's sports. As of 2005, 150 persons had received the award.

Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee

Officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee, the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee (CTOC) is the only organization authorized to organize and field representative delegations from Taiwan at the Olympic Games, the Asian Games, and other international sports competitions recognized by the International Olympic Committee.

The mission of the CTOC is to promote the Olympic Movement in Taiwan in accordance with the Olympic Charter. To become a CTOC member, a person must be recommended by the CTOC president, and this recommendation must then be approved by the CTOC executive board. There are currently 61 members, the majority of whom are presidents of national sports associations.