Saturday, September 20, 2003

Dispute over Wu Dai-hao transfer

18-year-old NT member Wu Dai-hao, who is in Harbin, China, for the upcoming Asian Championship, shocked the basketball community when his parents confirmed Wu will transfer from Dacin Construction to Jutai Tech. Wu’s transfer raises dispute over the transfer rule of Taiwanese basketball players.

Wu’s parents said in the telephone interview that Wu has not been happy playing for Dacin. And there are many reasons leading to his unhappiness, including salary and failed promises. Dacin promised to help Wu play in the NCAA before signing him. But, Wu’s parents said, Dacin hasn’t been doing anything.

Also because of Dacin’s carelessness, Wu didn’t attend NTNU (National Taiwan Normal University), the university he wanted all along. Instead, he settled for choosing the TPEC (Taipei Physical Education College).

Wu and his parents assumed that they could sign with other teams directly, since almost all Taiwanese teams don’t actually sign players to a contract. But Dacin just wouldn’t let go, claiming Wu is still under labor contract with the team. Jutai Tech management claimed Dacin doesn’t have any reason to keep Wu.

As far as I’m concerned, here’s the problem. The relationship between players and teams is more like an oral commitment in Taiwan. And the basketball association doesn’t have any rule regulating players transfer. In the past, player movement usually happened when both teams agree with the transfer.

That’s why there’s always a dispute when a big-time player transfers. You don’t have contract and transfer rules to start with. And that leads to the endless argument. CTBA needs to review and complete all the regulations to prevent same incidents happening over and over again.

At this moment, the dispute is still going on. I would assume that, eventually, Dacin will let Wu go.