Taiwan’s Paralympic athletes will receive an increase in their cash bonuses should they medal in Paris. WIKI COMMONS

President Lai Ching-te announced at the farewell ceremony for Taiwan’s Paralympic team last Friday that the government has increased bonuses for the country’s Paralympic athletes. The delegation, competing as Chinese Taipei, boasts of 13 athletes who have qualified to participate in seven sports.

Bonuses for gold medal-winning Paralympians will increase from NT$4 million (112,582€) to NT$6 million (168,874€), the silver medal bonus will be upped to NT$2.1 million (59,106€), and the bronze medal bonus to NT$1.5 million (42,218€).



"I am very happy to be here to cheer on all the Taiwanese heroes," President Lai said according to Taiwan News. 

President Lai also gave the delegation a NT$200,000 bonus (5,629€) as he bid them farewell. Under the new regulations, Paralympic gold medalists can opt to receive their cash prizes in monthly sums instead of the full amount. Athletes who place up to sixth in Paralympic competitions will be awarded and the government has increased bonuses at all levels. 

Coaches of Paralympic athletes will also receive a significant increase in bonuses for winning medals.

President Lai further said that prizes awarded to athletes in the Deaflympics, the Asian Para Games, and the Asia Pacific Deaf Games will also increase by the same amount as those awarded to Paralympians.

In Paris, the Taiwanese contingency will compete in table tennis, badminton, archery, taekwondo, track and field, powerlifting, and judo. The team is well-represented with 7 females and 6 males, with competitors of all ages. The youngest of the team is 17-year-old table tennis player Chen Pai-yen and the oldest is 65-year-old archer Tseng Lung-hui.

The Paris Paralympic Games kick off on 28 August at 20:00 CEST.