*This content was translated by AI.
On the first day of the 2026 Nagoya-Aichi Asian Games men's 5-on-5 basketball tournament, a bizarre off-court incident unfolded. It was revealed that some members of Taiwan's coaching staff were unable to obtain official accreditation (AD cards) and had to purchase spectator tickets with their own funds to enter the venue. Following this, the Taiwanese team launched a direct rebuttal against the association's explanation, labeling it "an obvious lie."
The incident began with on-site revelations spreading across social media (SNS) just before the opening match. According to reports by multiple outlets including Taiwan's CTI News on the 10th, some coaching and support staff of the Taiwanese men's national basketball team failed to receive official AD cards. They were notified one day before the game, on the 9th, that they could not enter, prompting them to buy tickets directly to gain access. This led to fierce criticism from Taiwanese basketball fans, who questioned whether the association had neglected its duty to support the national team.
As the controversy spiraled out of control, the Chinese Taipei Basketball Association (CTBA) immediately released a lengthy statement consisting of eight points. The association claimed, "This was an issue arising from regulations on venue capacity limits set by the organizers." It further asserted, "Since June, we have been in negotiations with the Japan Basketball Association, the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee, FIBA, and others to secure additional accreditation passes." The association added, "We did not notify them the day before the game; we had already informed the staff at the beginning of September. The coach purchased lounge area tickets worth 25,000 yen (approximately 220,000 won) for game analysis, and the association fully covered all costs."
However, the statement released by the association failed to last even half a day before sparking intense anger from the team. Shortly after defeating Jordan 83-80 in their opening match, team ace and captain Chien Ying-chun (33) directly denied the association's official stance via his own SNS.
Chien Ying-chun fired back, stating, "While players are risking their lives on the court, a statement completely at odds with the facts has been released." He continued, "The reason we have been able to endure thus far is solely because we have relied on and protected each other within the team. Now, I want to focus all our energy on finishing this tournament together with the coaching staff and on-site staff who have sweated alongside us in every game."
Immediately after Chien Ying-chun's pointed remarks, his teammates also expressed their support by relaying the post. Despite securing a victory over Jordan, a formidable opponent, the team's atmosphere has rapidly cooled amid controversies surrounding the association's administrative incompetence and its false explanations.
According to Taiwanese media, Taiwan arrived in Nagoya with the goal of reaching the semifinals for the third consecutive time at the Asian Games. However, from the very first day of the tournament, they found themselves hindered not by the joy of victory, but by a bureaucratic disaster within their own association and an absurd battle over the truth.
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*This content was translated by AI.
