A Ninety Minute Delay At The Athletes Village Welcome Ceremony
Taiwan's Sports Minister Lee Yang was briefly denied entry to the athletes' welcome ceremony at the 2026 Aichi Nagoya Asian Games on the afternoon of September 18, in an episode that ended up delaying and interrupting the entire ceremony for about an hour and a half. According to Taiwan's delegation, officials from the Olympic Council of Asia, or OCA, declined to let Lee enter alongside the rest of the team.
Taiwan's Delegation Walks Out In Protest
Taiwan's delegation had been scheduled to attend the welcome ceremony starting at 1:30 p.m. on September 18. Lee had completed all required registration procedures in advance and held a valid identification credential for the event. When he moved toward the entrance with the rest of the delegation, however, OCA officials on site would not let him through, according to the Taiwan delegation. Taiwan's team briefly withdrew from the area in protest, asserting what it described as its legitimate rights, forcing organizers to pause the ceremony.
After further negotiations at the scene between Taiwan's delegation, the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee and OCA officials, the obstruction was resolved and Lee was able to join the ceremony. Games officials reportedly later apologized to Taiwan's delegation, attributing the episode to an internal communication failure.
Lee Yang Says He Stood Up For Taiwan's Rights And Dignity
Speaking after the ceremony, Lee said, "Our delegation completed every procedure in accordance with the rules. With reason and evidence on our side, we stood up openly for our own rights and dignity." News of the episode spread quickly in Taiwan and drew strong public backlash and attention.
Taiwan's Executive Yuan immediately voiced its support for the delegation, stating that "the international sports stage is a space for athletes to exchange with one another, and should never be obstructed by any improper political factor." The Cabinet said it fully backed the delegation's handling of the situation in defense of national dignity, and called on all relevant parties to ensure the delegation's safety and fair treatment going forward.
Organizers Confirm Coordination With OCA But Decline To Give Details
To understand how organizers on the host side handled the situation and how entry was ultimately restored, Storm Media's Japanese edition contacted the Aichi Nagoya Asian and Asian Para Games Organizing Committee shortly after the episode, asking three questions: what kind of verification process had taken place with OCA at the ceremony entrance and how organizers understood the situation at the time; what coordination occurred on site that led to entry being restored and the ceremony resuming; and whether the organizing committee had any response or comment it could share with the media.
The organizing committee's press office replied in writing that, in carrying out the ceremony, it had conducted "necessary confirmation and various coordination" with OCA. On the specifics of those discussions, it said only that "as this concerns matters discussed among relevant parties, the organizing committee will refrain from commenting on the specific content of the confirmation and coordination involved." It added that it was "not in a position to offer the organizing committee's own view on this matter," and declined to comment further.
