TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Dozens of fans of the Taiwan women’s soccer team were forced to remove clothing bearing the word “Taiwan” before being allowed to watch their team play North Korea at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup on Thursday at Cbus Super Stadium on Australia’s Gold Coast.

Australian John Ivey, 46, said his Taiwanese wife, Lai Yuru, 38, was denied entry because her shirt had Taiwan printed on it. Ivey said Lai had to return to their accommodation to change before being allowed into the stadium, while his own Tainan Uni-Lions shirt drew no objection.

Video footage shows Ivey’s friend Mark McDonald, 57, and his Taiwanese spouse Jessica Lin, 40, also denied entry because they wore T-shirts and baseball jerseys with Taiwan on them. Even after offering to turn their shirts inside out, security staff warned they would have to leave the premises if they did not change their clothing.

Ivey estimated that approximately 50 to 100 fans were rejected by gate workers for having Taiwan on scarves or shirts. These fans were told they had to remove any clothing with that wording and hand it over to the cloakroom before they would be allowed inside the stadium.

Some bought sweatshirts at a nearby shop to cover up their shirts, but were still refused entry until they placed their Taiwan-labeled clothing in the cloakroom. In response to the incident, Ivey said that as an Australian, “I am absolutely disgusted that this is happening in my country.”