President Ma Ying-jeou on the morning of December 19 met with the football team from Taiwan Power Company (Taipower) that recently won the 2011 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President's Cup championship. The president congratulated the team on its accomplishment and reiterated the government's determination to make a bid to hold the 2024 Olympics.
The president remarked that recently the ROC was successful in its bid to host the 2017 Summer Universiade, and the Executive Yuan's Sports Affairs Council (SAC) has made comprehensive plans in preparation for this event. The SAC has selected 1,000 athletes at the grassroots level that exhibit significant potential to receive further training and compete against 12,000 competitors from 160 countries around the world. President Ma added that the ROC, once it has held the Summer Universiade, will be able to move further up the ladder in terms of holding major international athletics events. He explained that countries or areas which have held the Universiade are qualified to apply to hold the Olympic Games. He expressed his hope that the people of the nation will come together, irrespective of political leanings, to excel in the sporting arena and win more gold medals. This will provide a stepping stone in helping Taiwan to hold the Olympics.
President Ma commented that football is one of the most closely watched Olympic events. Taiwan does not have a professional national football team, but the sport enjoys overwhelming popularity throughout the world. Each World Cup, for example, attracts over 100 million viewers and generates huge economic benefits for the host country. In addition, it greatly helps to foster the development of athletics. The government has decided to make a high priority of fostering the development of football here. Taiwan will work to boost its strength in the sport and seek to become a force in the international arena, he said.
President Ma also mentioned that during his tenure as mayor of Taipei City, Taipei held the 2004 FIFA Futsal World Cup. He said that he has personally taken part in many football matches, a good indication of just how much he likes football and attaches importance to it. He remarked that the government and public should make every effort to develop athletics, as sports symbolize both personal health and national power. He called on the public to develop a habit of engaging in athletic activity, and expressed his hope that this will become a national way of life. He also said that this will foster the emergence of outstanding competitors.
The president explained that the AFC President's Cup is an international competition held annually by the Asian Football Confederation. Competing teams from eight nations, including Cambodia, are the champions from their respective nations' premier leagues. As the team from Taipower won this year's AFC President's Cup, the championship trophy will remain in Taiwan, he said, adding that this is the first time in the ROC's history that this has taken place. It also is the first time that a men's football team from Taiwan has won a formal international football competition in 52 years, the president commented.
President Ma expressed his gratitude to Taipower for its longstanding support for football and said he hopes that the members of the team will continue to work hard to further hone their football skills, thereby helping to win even more distinction for the nation.
The delegation of 30 was led by Taipower Chairman Edward K. M. Chen (陳貴明). The group was accompanied to the Presidential Office by Sports Affairs Council Minister Tai Hsia-ling (戴遐齡) and Chinese Taipei Football Association President Lu Kun-shan (盧崑山) to meet President Ma. Also attending the meeting was Deputy Secretary-General to the President Liu Bao-guey (劉寶貴).