In a recent scandal, Chou Tai-ying, the coach of the women's football team at National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU), has issued a formal apology following allegations that she coerced students into donating blood for research projects. The controversy surfaced when Taiwanese politician Chen Pei-yu revealed that students were reportedly threatened with losing academic credits if they refused to participate in the blood donation scheme.
Chou acknowledged that her actions stemmed from a desire to support her limited team, which often faced injuries, but she did not clarify the specific purpose of the blood samples. An internal investigation revealed that unauthorized blood sampling had begun in 2019 and persisted into 2024 across different projects.
Her statement on Saturday expressed regret for any distress caused to the students, courtesy of her "reckless words and behaviour." Chou articulated her remorse, affirming, "It is definitely my fault for making you feel the way you did." This reflective sentiment was echoed by Professor Chen Hsueh-chih, who oversaw one of the implicated research initiatives. He admitted the project, intended to assist student athletes, inadvertently inflicted harm on participants and their families.
Findings from the investigation suggested that students had been asked to give blood samples daily, although initial allegations by Pei-yu claimed some were required to donate three times a day for two weeks. Disturbingly, most blood samples collected were discarded due to procedural mishaps uncovered during the inquiry.
Wu Cheng-chi, NTNU's principal, expressed his regret on behalf of the institution, labeling the situation a failure of oversight and promising a comprehensive review of their ethics and monitoring protocols. In tandem, Taiwan's deputy education minister announced that both the department and the actions of the coach and research leaders would undergo scrutiny. Separately, the education ministry disclosed plans to potentially revoke the coaching license of another NTNU women's football coach, although the individual was not named.
Chou acknowledged that her actions stemmed from a desire to support her limited team, which often faced injuries, but she did not clarify the specific purpose of the blood samples. An internal investigation revealed that unauthorized blood sampling had begun in 2019 and persisted into 2024 across different projects.
Her statement on Saturday expressed regret for any distress caused to the students, courtesy of her "reckless words and behaviour." Chou articulated her remorse, affirming, "It is definitely my fault for making you feel the way you did." This reflective sentiment was echoed by Professor Chen Hsueh-chih, who oversaw one of the implicated research initiatives. He admitted the project, intended to assist student athletes, inadvertently inflicted harm on participants and their families.
Findings from the investigation suggested that students had been asked to give blood samples daily, although initial allegations by Pei-yu claimed some were required to donate three times a day for two weeks. Disturbingly, most blood samples collected were discarded due to procedural mishaps uncovered during the inquiry.
Wu Cheng-chi, NTNU's principal, expressed his regret on behalf of the institution, labeling the situation a failure of oversight and promising a comprehensive review of their ethics and monitoring protocols. In tandem, Taiwan's deputy education minister announced that both the department and the actions of the coach and research leaders would undergo scrutiny. Separately, the education ministry disclosed plans to potentially revoke the coaching license of another NTNU women's football coach, although the individual was not named.
