TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Tasa Meng Duty-Free (采盟免稅店) apologized on Tuesday (Nov. 26) for disrupting a photo opportunity with Taiwan's national baseball team and promised to contact the Chinese Professional Baseball League (中華職棒聯盟) to express regret and prevent future incidents.
The national team returned victorious from the WBSC Premier12 tournament on Monday evening, where Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) greeted them. The scene turned chaotic as fans and media swarmed the players in the restricted area of the terminal.
However, Tasa Meng faced backlash after its chairman Ku Su-chin (古素琴) and employees occupied the center spot during a group photo with the baseball players at Taoyuan Airport, forcing the team's coaches and players to stand behind. Ku's actions, which pushed the team's coach and players to the background, angered many online. Tasa Meng also temporarily closed its Facebook fan page following the backlash.
In response to the public outrage, Tasa Meng Corp. issued an apology Tuesday, acknowledging the disruption caused during the airport event. The company admitted to poor planning, which negatively impacted the players and coaches, as well as the event's order and service quality. They expressed deep remorse and apologized to the concerned public.