Shocking: Coach Forces Students to Donate Blood for Credits!

In a shocking revelation, a prestigious university in Taiwan has terminated a football coach after accusations surfaced that she coerced students into donating blood repeatedly in exchange for academic credits. This scandal, involving blood donations for grades, has rocked one of the nation’s most esteemed educational institutions.

Chou Tai-ying, a celebrated women’s football coach at National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU), is alleged to have pressured her student-athletes into giving blood frequently, sometimes multiple times within the same day, under the guise of contributing to “research projects.” These students were purportedly told that their participation was necessary to earn the credits required for graduation. Non-compliance implied risking their academic progress.

A student relayed to the China Post Morning News that she had donated blood over 200 times, leading to such frequent puncturing that her veins were no longer viable in her arms. “They even tried my wrist and failed,” she recounted. “I completely broke down. It took six tries before they finally succeeded.” Other students mentioned enduring this coercion for years, keeping silent due to fears of expulsion.

Blood Donations Demanded by ‘Vampire’ Coach for Graduation Credits

Although Chou was dismissed on July 13, the controversy did not conclude with her termination. Over the following weekend, the 61-year-old coach issued a public apology. “It is definitely my fault for making you feel the way you did,” she admitted in a statement reported by BBC through Taiwan’s Focus News agency, citing the frequent injuries of her limited roster of players as part of the context.

University officials claim they were unaware of the full scope of the activities. An internal probe confirmed that these blood collections began in 2019 and persisted into the current year, often involving unqualified students in the sample collection process. Contrary to claims of multiple daily collections, officials acknowledged the blood was drawn only once a day. However, they admitted that the collected samples were eventually discarded due to poor handling.

Professor Chen Hsueh-chih, who was involved in the research projects, also issued an apology. He stated that the intention behind the projects was to aid student athletes, yet he recognized the significant “harm” it inflicted on students and their families. In response to the scandal, the university’s president has vowed to revamp the institution’s ethics protocols. Meanwhile, Taiwan’s Ministry of Education is considering whether to permanently revoke Chou’s coaching license.

The true purpose of these blood collections remains unclear. Officially, the blood was intended for studies related to athlete health, yet details about these studies, the rationale for using untrained students to draw blood, and the lack of oversight over several years continue to be murky.

This ongoing mystery is likely why Chou has earned the nickname “vampire coach” among some circles.