A sports coach at a Taiwanese university has issued a formal apology regarding a research project that allegedly involved coercing students into giving blood, according to local media reports.
Chou Tai-ying, 61, stated her intention was to assist her team due to a limited number of players who frequently sustained injuries. The exact purpose for which the blood was collected remains unclear.
Taiwanese politician Chen Pei-yu brought the matter to public attention in 2024, alleging that students where informed they would forfeit academic credits if they did not participate.
An internal examination conducted at National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) in Taipei revealed that the blood sampling commenced in 2019 and continued until 2024 for various “research projects.”
Coach Chou admitted to enlisting unqualified students to assist with the blood withdrawal. She issued an apology on Saturday for placing “any pressure on the school and the students” through her “reckless words and behavior,” Taiwan’s Focus News agency reported.
“It is definitely my fault for making you feel the way you did,” she conveyed to the students in a statement.
Professor Chen Hsueh-chih, the lead researcher for one of the unspecified projects, also offered an apology.
He explained that the project aimed to support student athletes but acknowledged it had unintentionally caused distress to them and thier families.
The internal investigation indicated that students provided blood samples once daily. these samples were subsequently discarded after the investigation identified procedural flaws in the blood collection process.
Chen Pei-yu initially claimed the research project mandated players to donate three blood samples per day for 14 consecutive days, with participation required over several years.
NTNU principal Wu Cheng-chi apologized on Saturday for the institution’s oversight, stating that the university’s ethics and oversight procedures would undergo a review.
Taiwan’s deputy education minister announced that the case, along with the actions of Chou and Chen, would be reviewed by their department.
In a seperate development, the education ministry indicated on Thursday that it might revoke the coaching license of an NTNU women’s football coach, without naming the individual.
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