Fan removed from arena after unfurling flag at Lin Yu-Ting fight

PARIS − A spectator holding a flag promoting independence for Taiwan from China was removed from the seating area at Roland Garros-Stadium Saturday night. The incident took place as Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-Ting was getting ready to receive a gold medal for winning the women’s featherweight division.

The spectator, a woman, refused to give up the flag as she was pulled out of view by what appeared to be stadium security. Earlier the woman appeared to strike an employee in the head with a small flag stick before security arrived.

It was unclear if Lin was aware of the incident.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognizes Taiwan as Chinese Taipei.

As the medal ceremony began, a spectator unfurled the Chinese Taipei flag when two other spectators rushed over and unfurled a Chinese flag.

China's government has claimed sovereignty over self-ruled Taiwan since a civil war in China in the 1940s, when Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalists lost to Mao Zedong’s Communists and rebased their government in Taiwan. Beijing uses its global clout today to require that the International Olympic Committee let Taiwan, known internationally as an island-territory, join Olympic events only as "Chinese Taipei" because the label implies a link to China.

Contributing: Kim Hjelmgaard

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fan removed from arena after unfurling flag at Lin Yu-Ting fight