Women's Volleyball Advancing to Quarterfinals to Face World No. 4 Turkey on the 4th
Volleyball National Team Eligibility 'Indefinitely Revoked' for Sisters Lee Jae-young and Lee Da-young [Image Source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] As the women's volleyball national team faces Turkey in the '2020 Tokyo Olympics' quarterfinals on the 4th, some netizens are sparking controversy by arguing that the twin sisters Lee Jae-young and Lee Da-young (25), who were involved in school violence (hakpok) controversies, should be temporarily reinstated for the team's strength. They were revealed as perpetrators of school violence in February and were stripped of their national team eligibility by the Korea Volleyball Association.
On the other hand, the majority of netizens oppose their return, stating that just as the victims of school violence suffer lifelong trauma, the perpetrators must also deeply repent.
Led by coach Stefano Lavarini, the women's volleyball national team will face Turkey at 9 a.m. on the 4th to compete for a spot in the semifinals.
South Korea is challenging to reach the semifinals for the first time in nine years since the 2012 London Games. If Korea defeats Turkey, they will play against the winner of Brazil and the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) for a place in the finals.
Turkey, ranked 4th in the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) world rankings, is a tough opponent. South Korea, ranked 13th, has faced Turkey nine times historically but trails with 2 wins and 7 losses. In the International Volleyball Federation Volleyball Nations League (VNL) held in Italy this June, Korea also lost to Turkey 1-3.
Given this situation, some voices express regret over the absence of the Lee Da-young and Lee Jae-young sisters, who were revealed as perpetrators of school violence. One netizen commented on an online community, "I miss Lee Jae-young's absence a bit," adding, "Although her character was problematic, Lee Jae-young has a lot of international competition experience and is a fast attacker who boldly goes in even against high blocks."
Other netizens also responded with comments like, "The absence of Lee Jae-young and Lee Da-young is really significant," "I hope Lee Jae-young plays now and we win a medal. There is no one to attack," and "The twins should return."
In contrast, most citizens prioritize character over skill. One netizen said, "We made it to the quarterfinals without the twins, so I don't understand why people miss them so much. Volleyball is not an individual sport but a team sport. Teamwork is a really important factor, and I think our players' teamwork is at its best right now," adding, "Perpetrators of school violence should be permanently expelled."
Before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, there were many opinions that the team would not be able to fill the gap left by the expulsion of the key players Lee Jae-young and Lee Da-young.
However, the women's volleyball team captain Kim Yeon-koung continues to demonstrate her strength, and the performances of Park Jeong-ah, who is playing fiercely as a 'clutch player,' and right-side hitter Kim Hee-jin are improving, raising expectations.
Meanwhile, Kim Yeon-koung, who returned to the Korean Women's Professional Volleyball League last year after 11 years, said, "Before the (Tokyo) Olympics, I thought about how to prepare in the best condition, and I believed that returning to the domestic league would help maintain my performance," adding, "I will do my best to achieve what I dreamed and aimed for with the best condition at the Olympics."
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