2026 Taiwan Athletics Open canceled as sports budget remains stalled in Legislature

Taipei, April 9 (CNA) The 2026 Taiwan Athletics Open, which typically draws top international athletes, has been canceled ahead of its June schedule, as funding for the sports ministry has not yet cleared the Legislature, the organizing body said Wednesday.

All registration fees will be fully reimbursed, the Chinese Taipei Athletics Association said in a statement, apologizing for any inconvenience.

Funding for the athletics competition was allocated by the Ministry of Sports as part of its wider budget for fiscal year 2026, which remains stalled in the Legislature, the association's secretary general Wang Ching-cheng (王景成) said on Wednesday, explaining why the competition had been canceled.

Asked to comment on the cancellation of the 2026 Taiwan Athletics Open, Sports Minister Lee Yang (李洋) said Thursday that his ministry would use its sports fund, which supports athlete development and international competitions, to provide continued assistance to the Chinese Taipei Athletics Association.

The central government's budget of NT$3.035 trillion (US$95.45 billion) for fiscal year 2026 has been stuck in the opposition-controlled Legislature since January, with only a small fraction approved for funding in areas such as public transportation, road infrastructure and maternity subsidies.

The Taiwan Athletics Open, an annual event inaugurated in 1973, typically provides a rare opportunity for local athletes to compete against international competitors on home turf.

This year's edition was scheduled for June 6 and 7 in New Taipei.

In 2024, the meet was classified by World Athletics as a Continental Tour Bronze-level event, allowing athletes to earn world ranking points and attracting overseas competitors, including Canadian sprinter Andre De Grasse, the men's 200-meter Tokyo Olympics gold medalist.

Having been upgraded to Continental Tour Silver, the 2026 edition of the meet would have offered more ranking points.

As of press time, Wang had not responded to a CNA request for further information.