TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Chinese Taipei men's national basketball team announced Tuesday (July 9) that they will voluntarily lower their appearance fees to match those of the women's team, addressing the controversy over unequal pay in the Jones Cup.
The Taiwan Professional Basketball Players Association (臺北市職業籃球員職業工會) issued a joint statement from the team, advocating for equal compensation.
The statement emphasized that if the Chinese Taipei Basketball Association (CTBA) decides to pay female players NT$3,000 per game, the male players will also accept the same rate.
The male players expressed gratitude to the association for proposing NT$5,000 per game for men, in line with the National Sports Act (國民體育法). However, they believe that appearance fees should not differ based on gender and should not be divided among athletes.
They highlighted their refusal to accept a system where their sisters, wives, and daughters face discrimination when representing the national team.
The statement also underscored the challenges female basketball players face in Taiwan and their unwavering passion for the sport, which is equal to that of their male counterparts. The male players hope their actions will help create a more equitable environment for basketball in Taiwan.