Taiwan University Coach Resigns Amid Blood Donation Scandal

Coach Chou Tai-ying issues an apology after being accused of pressuring athletes for blood donations for research.

A coach at National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) in Taipei, Taiwan, has tendered her resignation and issued a formal apology regarding allegations that she coerced students into donating blood for research purposes. Chou Tai-ying, 61, expressed her intentions were focused on supporting her team's health, given the ongoing injuries among the players. However, the specific aims of the research project that demanded the blood samples remain unclear.

The controversy was initially exposed by Taiwanese politician Chen Pei-yu in early 2024, who alleged that students were threatened with losing academic credits if they refused to participate in the blood donation. An internal investigation revealed that blood sampling had been ongoing since 2019 and continued through 2024 across various research projects, causing significant concern.

Chou acknowledged that she had pressured unqualified students into assisting with blood withdrawals and extended her sincere regret for her "reckless words and behaviour." She emphasized, "It is definitely my fault for making you feel the way you did," addressing her students directly. Professor Chen Hsueh-chih, who oversaw one of the unnamed research projects, also issued an apology, clarifying that the project's intent was to support student athletes, albeit with unintended negative consequences.

The investigation found that participating students had been providing blood samples daily, most of which were discarded after procedural faults were identified in the collection methods. In contrast, Chen Pei-yu's original allegations stated that students were required to provide three blood samples a day for a continuous period of 14 days, raising further questions about the ethical management of such research.

NTNU's principal Wu Cheng-chi apologized for administrative failings and confirmed that the university's ethics and oversight measures will undergo rigorous evaluation. Moreover, Taiwan's deputy education minister announced that the ministry would review the actions of both Chou and Professor Chen, while an investigation into the conduct of another unnamed women's football coach at NTNU is also set to occur, potentially leading to the revocation of their coaching license.