"Can't Be Wrong... The Problem Is When the Accident Happens" Sports Council Suspected of Defending the Perpetrator

A teammate of the late athlete Choi Sook-hyun is passing by the coach of the Gyeongju City Triathlon team during an urgent inquiry on the death of the late athlete held at the National Assembly on the 6th. The teammate of the late Choi Sook-hyun made additional allegations against the Gyeongju City coach at the National Assembly that day. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Yeon-ju] As the tragic case of the late Choi Sook-hyun, a triathlon athlete who took her own life after suffering abuse within her team, has come to light and sparked public outrage, allegations have arisen that the Gyeongju City Sports Council defended the coach and athletes accused of abuse.

According to an SBS report on the 6th, the Gyeongju City Sports Council stated that they would only initially file charges against the team doctor, Mr. Ahn, as the coach Kim Gyu-bong and the athletes of the Gyeongju City Triathlon team denied the assault allegations.

The Sports Council reportedly suspended Coach Kim based on testimonies from witnesses who said they had never seen the coach commit any assault.

Additionally, a Sports Council official emphasized that the deceased and the team captain were senior and junior with a 10-year difference in high school, implying that assault issues could not have occurred.

In particular, the official stated that due to the nature of sports, there is no discipline without physical contact, and that problems arise only when accidents happen, which is expected to cause controversy.

Previously, it was reported that during her lifetime, athlete Choi had filed complaints against the perpetrators and reported abuse within the team to the Korea Sports Council multiple times, but no significant action was taken.

Meanwhile, it is known that Choi was continuously bullied by the Gyeongju City team’s coach, team doctor, and some senior athletes. It was reported that at a team dinner with Gyeongju City team members, she was forced to eat 200,000 won worth of bread as punishment for ordering a carbonated drink. She was also punished for not reporting eating one peach and was starved for three days and slapped with slippers due to failure to control her weight.