The Greek Volleyball Club That Supported Lee Jae-young and Da-young... "Let's Eradicate Violence" Shouts

Volleyball players Lee Jae-young and Lee Da-young, sisters embroiled in a school violence controversy, are moving to the departure area at Incheon International Airport Terminal 1 on the afternoon of October 16 to join the Greek women's professional volleyball league team PAOK Thessaloniki.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] A Greek women's professional volleyball league team’s anti-violence campaign has sparked criticism from domestic netizens. This is because the team includes the Lee Jae-young and Lee Da-young sisters, who were involved in a school violence controversy.

On the 25th (local time), PAOK Thessaloniki, the Greek team to which the two players belong, announced through its official SNS that it participated in an anti-violence campaign in observance of the "International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women."

The players wrote phrases such as "No to violence" and "No means no" on their palms to convey the message of opposing violence.

The club encouraged, "November 25th is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Say NO! You are not alone."

The "International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women" was established by a 2013 UN General Assembly resolution to raise awareness of the severity of gender-based violence, including partner violence against women in domestic and intimate relationships, sexual violence and harassment, human trafficking, and child marriage. Various events were held worldwide to mark the day.

However, domestic netizens responded negatively to the team’s participation in the campaign. They argued that it is contradictory for a team that signed players accused of school violence, Lee Jae-young and Lee Da-young, to shout "No to violence."

One netizen pointed out, "The players in this photo are not at fault, but how can the club hold such a campaign after signing players with violence issues?" Another commented, "The intention is good, but the thinking is short-sighted."

Earlier, Lee Jae-young and Lee Da-young left the domestic court in February after being embroiled in a school violence controversy. The two players were indefinitely excluded from the national team selection pool and did not join the Tokyo Olympic women's volleyball team. They also received an indefinite suspension from their domestic team, Heungkuk Life.

Effectively expelled from the domestic league, the two players agreed to sign with their current team, Greek PAOK Thessaloniki, and departed for Greece last month.