Sockgate
Encyclopedia
The contested judgment of taekwondo of 2010 Asian Games, also called "Sockgate", is the major dispute at the 2010 Asian Games
on November 17. Taiwanese
taekwondo
athlete Yang Shu-chun
was disqualified with twelve seconds remaining in the first round due to the presence of "unauthorized" (disputed) sensors on her sock
s.
opponent Vu Thi Hau in the first round of the flyweight
division (under 49 kilogram) of the Asian Games taekwondo competition in Guangzhou
, Guangdong
, China
on November 17, 2010, when she was accused of using the "unauthorized" sensors. During the pre-match testing of equipment, the referee discovered that Yang had two extra sensors on the heels of each sock, which she was asked to remove. She fought without the two additional sensors on her socks.
However, with twelve seconds remaining in the first round of the bout, when Yang was leading at an advantage of 9–0, Asian Taekwondo Union
vice-president Zhao Lei of China
instructed Filipino-Korean referee Hong Sung-day to call Yang over to the side and inspected her heels. Finding nothing, Hong then called for the match referee to bring over the two sensors that had already been removed and kept under the chair that Yang's coach was sitting on. Following that, Zhao and Hong had a brief discussion, the officials then instructed the match referee to disqualify Yang and awarded Vu a 12–0 victory.
representatives at the taekwondo venue immediately pointed out that the equipment was certified and that both fighters passed a pre-match inspection. Following the disqualification, Yang and her coach both protested on the mat for about an hour. The World Taekwondo Federation
(WTF) authorities then gave the ultimatum for them to leave, or they would suspend every Chinese Taipei taekwondo member in the Game. The WTF Secretary-General Yang Jin-suk initially did not reveal the reason why Yang was disqualified and told the press that it was for the protection of the athlete's personal privacy, but later it was revealed the reason was for the sensors on her socks. Secretary-General later said, "It was clearly a manipulative move with the intent of cheating, and that's the reason why the individual was disqualified."
According to the Secretary-General of the WTF, there are two sorts of sensor socks for taekwondo. It is specified that only the newer type is allowed to be used in 2010 Asian Games, for the sensors of the former type are fixed by velcro
, which might be easily remodeled with extra sensors by athletes themselves. The sensors on the newer type are fixed by stitching and have no possibility to be altered with illegal methods, but the newer type has no sensors on the heel area.
Yang's coach, Liu Tsung-da , said the inspector from the game official asked Yang to change her socks due to poor signal response before the match. Yang put on the alternate ones of former type and passed the equipment inspection. During the match, the sensors on the heel area had already been removed, which should not affect the scoring record. Right after the judgment, Liu asked for the testimony of the inspector and the surveillance video as evidence, but the demands were all rejected.
The equipment supplier of the Chinese Taipei team said they had never received any official notification from the WTF for suspending the socks of the former type before the Asian Games. There were many of the former type being used in other matches of different weights, but those athletes didn't suffer any punishment before or after their matches. According to the WTF official instruction for taekwondo athletes, the former type is still legal in any international games until London Olympics in 2012
. The two "unauthorized" extra sensors proclaimed to be found by the Game officials belong to the original design of the former type by Korean equipment manufacturer, which is the only manufacturer authorized by the WTF official for the 2010 Asian Games.
legislator
Huang Chih-hsiung
, himself an Olympic taekwondo silver medalist
at the 2004 Athens Olympics Games, stated "the decision was inconceivable and ridiculous." Premier
Wu Den-yih
is cited as saying, "From the current information we have, our athlete Yang Shu-chun was wronged. If it is proven that the ruling was unfair, the Asian Games Organizing Committee has to shoulder the biggest responsibility." The Sports Affairs Council
demanded an explanation from the Asian Taekwondo Union
regarding the disqualification.
The Democratic Progressive Party
(DPP) legislator Pan Men-an claimed at a press conference that the accusation by the Game officials that Yang had cheated was an "insult to everybody around the country," and charged that, "the responsibility should fall on the people that conducted the equipment checks."
However, all was not completely peaceful between the two political sides, as the DPP leaders accused government of the slow response. The DPP Legislator Chiu Yi-ying complained that: "A large number of officials attended the Games, but all they have done so far is to show up at and take part in the awarding ceremonies when our athletes win. When Yang was disqualified, what did they do? Nothing."
Tsai Ing-wen
, the current chairperson of the DPP and a candidate for mayor
of New Taipei City, released a statement, saying "This government has always deferred to China and hasn't emphasized our attitudes enough, especially on sovereignty issues." She further stated, "As a result, we think that it is regrettable that frontline officials haven't been protesting strongly enough about this incident."
s voiced their dissatisfaction with the judgment. Soon, several Facebook groups in support of Yang were posted, some with hundreds of thousands of followers. On the pages, outcry toward both South Korea
and China
was rampant, with many conjecturing a conspiracy, as Yang was regarded as the primary rival to China's gold medal favorite, Wu Jingyu
, the eventual winner of the gold. The conspiracy theorized that Zhao Lei , Wu Jingyu's long-time mentor, was the invisible hand that deliberately forced Yang's ouster to pave the way for Wu's gold medal.
The 2006 Asian Games
gold medalist Su Li-wen came out in support of Yang in her blog, saying that she has never heard of such a ridiculous accusation and pointing out that eight of Yang's nine points were manually scored without the benefit of the foot sensors.
Yang's father, Yang Chin-hsing , remarked, "The whole thing is utterly unacceptable", and told the press that Yang had spent ten months preparing for this competition and that he suspected that China was behind this incident.
The Asian Taekwondo Union published an article titled "Shocking Act of Deception by Chinese Taipei" on its website, giving its own account of the incident. The homepage of the website was then hacked by Taiwanese hacker
s who added hostile criticism. Later, the homepage was restored, and the article was removed. The Union has reportedly blocked Taiwanese IPs from accessing its website.
Korean merchandise. A legislator candidate even led the congregation to protest and burn the flag of South Korea
. The protesters threw eggs at a Korean immigration school. A few restaurants and taxi
drivers announced, "No Service to Koreans."
2010 Asian Games
The 2010 Asian Games, also known as the XVI Asiad, was a multi-sport event celebrated in Guangzhou, China from November 12 to November 27, 2010. Guangzhou was the second Chinese city to host the Games, after Beijing in 1990...
on November 17. Taiwanese
Taiwanese people
Taiwanese people may refer to individuals who either claim or are imputed cultural identity focused on the island of Taiwan and/or Taiwan Area which have been governed by the Republic of China since 1945...
taekwondo
Taekwondo
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way", "method", or "path"...
athlete Yang Shu-chun
Yang Shu-chun
Yang Shu-chun or Judy Yang in Yingge, Taipei County , Taiwan ) is a female Taiwanese taekwondo athlete...
was disqualified with twelve seconds remaining in the first round due to the presence of "unauthorized" (disputed) sensors on her sock
Sock
A sock is an item of clothing worn on the feet. The foot is among the heaviest producers of sweat in the body, as it is able to produce over of perspiration per day. Socks help to absorb this sweat and draw it to areas where air can evaporate the perspiration. In cold environments, socks decrease...
s.
The judgment
Yang was facing VietnameseVietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
opponent Vu Thi Hau in the first round of the flyweight
Flyweight
Flyweight is a class in boxing which includes fighters weighing less than 112 lb but above 108 lb .-Professional boxing:...
division (under 49 kilogram) of the Asian Games taekwondo competition in Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
, Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
, China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
on November 17, 2010, when she was accused of using the "unauthorized" sensors. During the pre-match testing of equipment, the referee discovered that Yang had two extra sensors on the heels of each sock, which she was asked to remove. She fought without the two additional sensors on her socks.
However, with twelve seconds remaining in the first round of the bout, when Yang was leading at an advantage of 9–0, Asian Taekwondo Union
Asian Taekwondo Union
The Asian Taekwondo Union is the official governing body for all Taekwondo matters in Asia as a regional organisation of the World Taekwondo Federation.-External links:*...
vice-president Zhao Lei of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
instructed Filipino-Korean referee Hong Sung-day to call Yang over to the side and inspected her heels. Finding nothing, Hong then called for the match referee to bring over the two sensors that had already been removed and kept under the chair that Yang's coach was sitting on. Following that, Zhao and Hong had a brief discussion, the officials then instructed the match referee to disqualify Yang and awarded Vu a 12–0 victory.
The controversy
Chinese TaipeiChinese Taipei
Chinese Taipei is the designated name used by the Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan, to participate in some international organizations and almost all sporting events, such as the Olympics, Paralympics, Asian Games and Asian Para Games...
representatives at the taekwondo venue immediately pointed out that the equipment was certified and that both fighters passed a pre-match inspection. Following the disqualification, Yang and her coach both protested on the mat for about an hour. The World Taekwondo Federation
World Taekwondo Federation
The World Taekwondo Federation is the International Federation member of the International Olympic Committee for the competition events of the martial art of taekwondo...
(WTF) authorities then gave the ultimatum for them to leave, or they would suspend every Chinese Taipei taekwondo member in the Game. The WTF Secretary-General Yang Jin-suk initially did not reveal the reason why Yang was disqualified and told the press that it was for the protection of the athlete's personal privacy, but later it was revealed the reason was for the sensors on her socks. Secretary-General later said, "It was clearly a manipulative move with the intent of cheating, and that's the reason why the individual was disqualified."
According to the Secretary-General of the WTF, there are two sorts of sensor socks for taekwondo. It is specified that only the newer type is allowed to be used in 2010 Asian Games, for the sensors of the former type are fixed by velcro
Velcro
Velcro is the brand name of the first commercially marketed fabric hook-and-loop fastener, invented in 1948 by the Swiss electrical engineer George de Mestral...
, which might be easily remodeled with extra sensors by athletes themselves. The sensors on the newer type are fixed by stitching and have no possibility to be altered with illegal methods, but the newer type has no sensors on the heel area.
Yang's coach, Liu Tsung-da , said the inspector from the game official asked Yang to change her socks due to poor signal response before the match. Yang put on the alternate ones of former type and passed the equipment inspection. During the match, the sensors on the heel area had already been removed, which should not affect the scoring record. Right after the judgment, Liu asked for the testimony of the inspector and the surveillance video as evidence, but the demands were all rejected.
The equipment supplier of the Chinese Taipei team said they had never received any official notification from the WTF for suspending the socks of the former type before the Asian Games. There were many of the former type being used in other matches of different weights, but those athletes didn't suffer any punishment before or after their matches. According to the WTF official instruction for taekwondo athletes, the former type is still legal in any international games until London Olympics in 2012
2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the "London 2012 Olympic Games", are scheduled to take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012...
. The two "unauthorized" extra sensors proclaimed to be found by the Game officials belong to the original design of the former type by Korean equipment manufacturer, which is the only manufacturer authorized by the WTF official for the 2010 Asian Games.
Political reaction
Political reaction in the Republic of China (Taiwan) came swiftly, with politicians on both sides of the political aisle rushing to Yang's defense. The KuomintangKuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
legislator
Legislative Yuan
The Legislative Yuan is the unicameral legislature of the Republic of China .The Legislative Yuan is one of the five branches of government stipulated by the Constitution of the Republic of China, which follows Sun Yat-sen's Three Principles of the People...
Huang Chih-hsiung
Huang Chih-hsiung
Huang Chih-Hsiung , Taiwan) is a Taiwanese athlete. Representing the Republic of China in the 2004 Summer Olympics, he won the silver medal at the Men's 68 kg Taekwondo event...
, himself an Olympic taekwondo silver medalist
Taekwondo at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Taekwondo at the 2004 Summer Olympics were held in the Sports Pavilion at the Faliro Coastal Zone Olympic Complex where 124 competitors competed in eight events, four each for men and women....
at the 2004 Athens Olympics Games, stated "the decision was inconceivable and ridiculous." Premier
Premier of the Republic of China
The President of the Executive Yuan , commonly known as the Premier of the Republic of China , is the head of the Executive Yuan, the executive branch of the Republic of China , which currently administers Taiwan, Matsu, and Kinmen. The premier is appointed by the President of the Republic of China...
Wu Den-yih
Wu Den-yih
Wu Den-yih is a Taiwanese politician of the Kuomintang Party, and the current Premier of the Republic of China.-Personal:Wu was born in Tsaotun, Nantou County, Taiwan...
is cited as saying, "From the current information we have, our athlete Yang Shu-chun was wronged. If it is proven that the ruling was unfair, the Asian Games Organizing Committee has to shoulder the biggest responsibility." The Sports Affairs Council
Sports Affairs Council
Sports Affairs Council is a council under the Executive Yuan, the executive branch of the government of the Republic of China . It was established in mainland China and relocated to Taiwan after the defeat of Kuomintang in the Chinese Civil War....
demanded an explanation from the Asian Taekwondo Union
Asian Taekwondo Union
The Asian Taekwondo Union is the official governing body for all Taekwondo matters in Asia as a regional organisation of the World Taekwondo Federation.-External links:*...
regarding the disqualification.
The Democratic Progressive Party
Democratic Progressive Party
The Democratic Progressive Party is a political party in Taiwan, and the dominant party in the Pan-Green Coalition. Founded in 1986, DPP is the first meaningful opposition party in Taiwan. It has traditionally been associated with strong advocacy of human rights and a distinct Taiwanese identity,...
(DPP) legislator Pan Men-an claimed at a press conference that the accusation by the Game officials that Yang had cheated was an "insult to everybody around the country," and charged that, "the responsibility should fall on the people that conducted the equipment checks."
However, all was not completely peaceful between the two political sides, as the DPP leaders accused government of the slow response. The DPP Legislator Chiu Yi-ying complained that: "A large number of officials attended the Games, but all they have done so far is to show up at and take part in the awarding ceremonies when our athletes win. When Yang was disqualified, what did they do? Nothing."
Tsai Ing-wen
Tsai Ing-wen
Tsai Ing-wen is the current chairperson of the Democratic Progressive Party in Taiwan. Studying in Taiwan, the U.S and the U.K. Tsai earned an LL.B. from National Taiwan University, an LL.M. from Cornell University Law School and a Ph.D. from the London School of Economics....
, the current chairperson of the DPP and a candidate for mayor
Republic of China municipal elections, 2010
-Predictions:-Municipal Mayoral Election:-Municipal Councilmen Election:-Ward Chiefs Election:-Electoral background:New Taipei was promoted into a central municipality, and replaced Taipei City as the largest city of Taiwan...
of New Taipei City, released a statement, saying "This government has always deferred to China and hasn't emphasized our attitudes enough, especially on sovereignty issues." She further stated, "As a result, we think that it is regrettable that frontline officials haven't been protesting strongly enough about this incident."
Public reaction
Shortly after the disqualification, Taiwanese netizenNetizen
The term Netizen is a portmanteau of the English words internet and citizen. It is defined as an entity or person actively involved in online communities and a user of the internet, especially an avid one. The term can also imply an interest in improving the internet, especially in regard to open...
s voiced their dissatisfaction with the judgment. Soon, several Facebook groups in support of Yang were posted, some with hundreds of thousands of followers. On the pages, outcry toward both South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
and China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
was rampant, with many conjecturing a conspiracy, as Yang was regarded as the primary rival to China's gold medal favorite, Wu Jingyu
Wu Jingyu
Wu Jingyu is a female Chinese Taekwondo practitioner who won gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in the –49 kg class.-References:* http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-07/20/content_8577298.htm...
, the eventual winner of the gold. The conspiracy theorized that Zhao Lei , Wu Jingyu's long-time mentor, was the invisible hand that deliberately forced Yang's ouster to pave the way for Wu's gold medal.
The 2006 Asian Games
Taekwondo at the 2006 Asian Games
Taekwondo took place from December 7 to December 10 at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar. Men's and women's competitions were held in eight weight categories for each...
gold medalist Su Li-wen came out in support of Yang in her blog, saying that she has never heard of such a ridiculous accusation and pointing out that eight of Yang's nine points were manually scored without the benefit of the foot sensors.
Yang's father, Yang Chin-hsing , remarked, "The whole thing is utterly unacceptable", and told the press that Yang had spent ten months preparing for this competition and that he suspected that China was behind this incident.
The Asian Taekwondo Union published an article titled "Shocking Act of Deception by Chinese Taipei" on its website, giving its own account of the incident. The homepage of the website was then hacked by Taiwanese hacker
Hacker (computer security)
In computer security and everyday language, a hacker is someone who breaks into computers and computer networks. Hackers may be motivated by a multitude of reasons, including profit, protest, or because of the challenge...
s who added hostile criticism. Later, the homepage was restored, and the article was removed. The Union has reportedly blocked Taiwanese IPs from accessing its website.
Anti-Korean protests in Taiwan
Since this is not the first time that Taiwanese athletes have faced controversial judgments made by South Korean referees in international games, netizens rallied to boycottBoycott
A boycott is an act of voluntarily abstaining from using, buying, or dealing with a person, organization, or country as an expression of protest, usually for political reasons...
Korean merchandise. A legislator candidate even led the congregation to protest and burn the flag of South Korea
Flag of South Korea
The flag of South Korea, or Taegeukgi has three parts: a white background; a red and blue taegeuk in the centre; and four black trigrams, one in each corner of the flag...
. The protesters threw eggs at a Korean immigration school. A few restaurants and taxi
Taxicab
A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
drivers announced, "No Service to Koreans."
Verdict
On December 21, 2010, Yang was given a three months suspension for protesting her disqualification during the 2010 Asian Games by World Taekwondo Federation (WTF). Her coach, Liu Tsung-ta was given a 20 months suspension while Chinese Taipei Taekwondo Association (CTTA) was fined US$50,000 for "negligence and wrongdoing".See also
- Taekwondo at the 2010 Asian GamesTaekwondo at the 2010 Asian GamesTaekwondo at the 2010 Asian Games was held in Guangzhou, China from November 17 to 20, 2010. Men's and women's competitions were held in eight weight categories for each gender...
- Chinese Taipei at the 2010 Asian GamesChinese Taipei at the 2010 Asian GamesThe Chinese Taipei will participate at the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou, China.-Medal Table:-Medalist:-Reference:*...
- Olympic Council of AsiaOlympic Council of AsiaThe Olympic Council of Asia is a governing body of sports in Asia, currently with 45 member National Olympic Committees. The current president is Sheikh Fahad Al-Sabah. The oldest NOC is from Japan and Philippines, recognized by the International Olympic Committee in 1911; whereas East Timor is...
(OCA) - Roy Jones Jr 1988 olympic ruling controversy