Gang Involved in Deceiving Vision Tests to Compete as Visually Impaired Athletes and Embezzling Government Rewards

Prosecutors Indict 13 Including National Judo Team Officials and Visually Impaired Judo Athlete

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] Athletes who fraudulently received government rewards by participating as visually impaired players despite having normal eyesight, along with the officials who led the scheme, have been brought to trial.

The Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office Environmental and Health Crime Division (Chief Prosecutor Jung Kyung-jin) announced on the 1st that it has arrested and indicted A, an official related to the national visually impaired judo team, on charges of obstruction of business and violation of the Subsidy Management Act, and has indicted 13 others including B, a national visually impaired judo athlete, without detention.

According to the prosecution, A is accused of, from July 2014 to December 2018, deceiving doctors during eyesight tests so that B and others could be diagnosed as visually impaired, enabling their selection as national visually impaired judo athletes and participation in various international competitions.

B and others entered hospitals without glasses, holding A’s arm for guidance, and lied to the diagnosing doctors by saying "I cannot see," thereby obtaining medical certificates diagnosing their vision as 0.1 or lower, according to the investigation.

B and the other athletes achieved excellent results at international competitions such as the Asian Para Games and the Paralympics, receiving government rewards ranging from approximately 1.3 million to 42 million won each.

A was also found to have improperly pocketed 15.46 million won under the pretext of reward money and other funds.

A prosecution official stated, "We will continue to strictly deal with serious crimes that undermine social fairness, such as corruption in sports."