Nagoya:During Taiwan's semifinal baseball game against China at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, a spectator was asked by stadium staff to put away a towel that displayed the word "Taiwan." This request was made on the grounds that the towel violated the Asian Games' prohibition on political messages.

According to Focus Taiwan, the fan complied, but the incident prompted other spectators to chant "Team Taiwan" in protest. The Asian Games enforces rules requiring teams to compete under approved names and forms of identification, with Taiwan participating under the name "Chinese Taipei" and using the flag of the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee.

The incident has sparked criticism in Taiwan, with Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an expressing on Facebook that Taiwan is recognized by the world as "our home" and should not be considered a political taboo.

Additionally, some Taiwanese spectators were upset by a sign at the venue prohibiting the Republic of China (Taiwan) flag and Japan's Rising Sun flag. By the time of the baseball bronze-medal game between Taiwan and China, these signs had been removed, although it was unclear if the internal regulations had been adjusted.

The Asian Games are governed by the Olympic Council of Asia and adhere to policies aligned with the International Olympic Committee (IOC). In 1981, an agreement was made for Taiwan to compete under "Chinese Taipei," following a shift in diplomatic recognition to Beijing by the United States and other countries. This arrangement was referenced during a similar controversy at the 2024 Paris Olympics, emphasizing strict rules on political messaging to maintain harmony among 206 national Olympic committees.