Taipei:Former National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) women's soccer coach Chou Tai-ying has been indicted for allegedly obtaining NT$1.293 million (US$40,573) through fraudulent research projects. These projects reportedly had inflated participant numbers or were entirely fictitious.
According to Focus Taiwan, the Taipei District Prosecutors Office stated that Chou admitted to the offenses, which occurred between 2021 and 2024. Prosecutors intend to ask the court for an appropriate sentence and the confiscation of the illicitly obtained funds.
It is alleged that Chou used NT$498,000 of the funds, a combination of government grants and participant fees, to fund an overseas training trip to Da Nang, Vietnam, for the Taipei PlayOne women's soccer team, which she also coached. The case became public after Democratic Progressive Party lawmaker Chen Pei-yu accused Chou in November 2024 of pressuring players to engage in sports science research under threat of hindering their graduation.
Chou allegedly required players to undergo blood draws three times a day for 14 days during breaks. However, prosecutors did not charge her with coercion due to insufficient evidence of intimidation.
Following an internal investigation, NTNU dismissed Chou in July 2025 and barred her from teaching for four years. The university also revoked her doctoral degree, citing violations of academic ethics and informed consent. Additionally, the Ministry of Education and the Chinese Taipei Football Association revoked her coaching licenses.
