Pusan wins Asiad proposal amid Taiwan protest
Pusan wins Asiad proposal amid Taiwan protest
SEOUL (Reuter): The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) yesterday
awarded the 2002 Asian Games to the South Korean port city of
Pusan amid protests by Taiwan about voting procedures.
Pusan gained support from 37 of 41 member states of the OCA in
a hand-raising vote, beating the southern Taiwanese city of
Kaohsiung to get the 2002 event. The 1998 games are in Bangkok.
Taiwanese officials accused the OCA of abruptly changing the
voting procedures by which "we were doomed to fail".
"The hand-raising method not only violated an earlier decision
of the executive board on secret balloting but also defies a long
tradition of the Olympic family on identical matters," a
Taiwanese statement said.
"We strongly protest herewith, and gravely condemn political
interference that caused the change," it said.
About 20 Taiwanese delegates held up placards outside the
conference room reading, "We strongly protest". One delegate,
with tears in his eyes, held up a small placard that said "We
Didn't Have Fair Chance".
Kaohsiung had hoped to become the first Taiwanese city to host
the games, but it ran into difficulties because Taiwan's arch-
rival China, a behemoth on the Asian sporting and political
scene, supported Pusan's bid.
China, which has viewed Taiwan as a renegade province since
the end of a civil war in 1949, objects to Taiwan staging or
participating in any major international event.
It will be the second Asian Games to be held in South Korea.
The South Korean capital of Seoul hosted the 1986 games, as well
as the 1988 Olympic Games.
"Thank you very much and we will make it the most successful
Asian Games ever," Pusan Mayor Kim Ki-jae said at a press
conference.
Pusan, South Korea's second largest city with a population of
four million, is also due to host the East Asian Games in 1997.
Boycott
China had threatened to boycott the 2002 Asian Games if the
OCA awarded the games to Kaohsiung.
The OCA congress brought together about 130 officials from 41
member nations. But North Korea, South Korea's arch-rival, and
Laos did not attend the two-day session which ended on Tuesday.
International Olympic Committee President Juan Antonio
Samaranch observed Tuesday's OCA meeting. On Monday, meeting
South Korean President Kim Young-sam, he said he hoped the
decision on the site of the Asian Games would be made in a way
not to hurt the harmony and unity of the Asian people.
The decision came less than 24 hours after the Clinton
administration reversed policy and agreed to let President Lee
Teng-hui of Taiwan enter the United States to attend a reunion at
Cornell University where he studied.
The move was sharply criticized by China but praised by
Taipei.
Until now, U.S. officials had said a visit by Lee would be
incompatible with Washington's unofficial relations with Taipei
since it severed ties with Taiwan and recognized China in 1979.
Lee could only change planes in the United States.
South Korea and China, an ally of North Korea, ended decades
of hostilities in 1992 by establishing formal relations. Taiwan
responded by cutting links with Seoul.