Ministry to revoke NTNU soccer coach's license after meeting students

Taipei, July 17 (CNA) Taiwan's Ministry of Education (MOE) said Thursday it will revoke the coaching license of a former National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) women's soccer team coach, following public outcry over a research project in which student athletes were allegedly bullied into giving blood samples.

The announcement to revoke Chou Tai-ying's (周台英) coaching license came after Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators Fan Yun (范雲), Chen Pei-yu (陳培瑜) and Wu Pei-yi (吳沛憶) accompanied a group of affected students to the MOE to discuss the situation.

After the meeting, Deputy Education Minister Chang Liao Wan-chien (張廖萬堅) said that a seven-point consensus had been reached.

Agreed-upon actions included the revocation of Chou's license, the creation of a dedicated complaints mechanism, and the formation of an inter-ministerial investigation task force led by Deputy Minister Chu Chun-chang (朱俊彰).

Chang Liao said the MOE would review the penalties imposed on NTNU and the researchers involved for violations of research ethics, and had temporarily suspended the university's ethics review board from accepting new research cases.

If student research proposals need to be submitted to other institutions for review, the MOE will help cover the difference in cost, he said.

The ministry said it will investigate NTNU's administrative failings, with the university president's role to be evaluated by the MOE.

Three students have submitted formal complaints, and three others were identified through media reports, Chang Liao said.

Chu said the ministry would "hold accountable" any violations of academic ethics or bullying by Chou or others involved.

Also speaking after the meeting, student representative Chien Chi-sheng (簡奇陞) said she was satisfied with the consensus reached.

She said the deputy minister had expressed regret for delays in the case and described the officials present as "capable adults" who were "willing to listen."

She also said that if Chou offered a sincere apology, it would be accepted, emphasizing that the students were not motivated by hatred but had only been waiting for a genuine apology from the coach.

Before the meeting, DPP lawmaker Fan told reporters the case revealed "systemic bullying" in both the education and sports sectors, calling it a "disgrace" that had victimized vulnerable and honest students.

She urged the MOE to strip Chou of both teaching and coaching qualifications, punish NTNU and provide legal support and counseling services for affected students.

Fan also called on the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) to investigate and revoke any "blood papers" that violated academic ethics.

She said she had collected several journal articles authored by Chou and cited student testimony that blood draws had been occurring as early as 2017.

Later the same day, NTNU issued a new apology statement to the affected students.

On Wednesday, the MOE said it had fined NTNU NT$1.1 million (US$33,687) and two research project leaders NT$500,000 each for wrongdoing in the case.