Coach Demands Blood Samples for Doctoral Dissertation
Pressured Players by Threatening Loss of 32 Required Graduation Credits
In Taiwan, the head coach of the National Normal University women's soccer team has sparked controversy for allegedly forcing college soccer players to undergo blood collection for her doctoral dissertation.
According to Taiwanese media outlets such as United Daily News and China Times on July 17, Democratic Progressive Party legislator Chen Peiyu and the Humanities and Education Foundation held a press conference at the Legislative Yuan (National Assembly) on July 15, exposing the misconduct of Zhou Taiying, 63, head coach of the National Normal University women's soccer team.
Players and officials of the Taiwan National Normal University women's soccer team hold a press conference regarding forced blood collection. Photo by Yonhap News Agency, captured by Central News Agency of Taiwan
Coach Zhou reportedly pressured her players to provide blood samples starting in 2018, in order to complete her doctoral dissertation, which she obtained in the second half of 2024. She explained to the players that the project was for exercise science research by the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) of Taiwan, and at times demanded blood samples three times a day for 14 consecutive days.
It has been reported that Coach Zhou threatened players who refused to give blood samples, saying that their required 32 graduation credits would not be recognized and that they should leave the team. Regarding this, affected students claimed, "Over four years of college, we essentially exchanged 32 credits for about 200 blood collection tubes." Furthermore, the blood draws were performed by team staff without medical training, and written consent was sometimes obtained only after the blood had already been collected, raising procedural concerns.
Coach Zhou was also embroiled in controversy over a similar incident in December 2023. At that time, the university's Anti-Bullying Committee conducted an investigation and recommended her dismissal and a two-year ban on reappointment. However, the Department of Sports Science's Faculty Evaluation Committee issued only a light disciplinary action, taking into account her expression of remorse.
As the issue resurfaced, Wu Zhengzhi, president of National Normal University, apologized to the affected students and their parents, promising to complete disciplinary action and punishment of those involved within two weeks. The university's Anti-Bullying Committee determined that the incident constituted bullying and dismissed Coach Zhou. All blood samples were reportedly destroyed.
Premier Cho Jungtai of Taiwan also stated that he could not tolerate the incident, and instructed the NSTC to suspend the project, conduct a comprehensive review, and take measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. The Ministry of Education imposed a fine of 1.1 million Taiwan dollars (about 50 million won) on the university and ordered it to submit improvement measures within three months. Taiwanese prosecutors have launched an investigation and are expected to summon Coach Zhou as a suspect for questioning soon.
Coach Zhou, known as a "legend of Taiwanese women's soccer," is a former member of the Taiwan women's national soccer team and previously played professionally in Germany and Japan. She has served as head coach of the National Normal University women's soccer team since 2005.
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