[Olympics] Meeting with IOC President Bach to Protest Short Track Judging Decisions

Korean Sport & Olympic Committee "Strongly Requests to Prevent Unfair Incidents from Recurring"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC) will directly protest to Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), regarding the questionable judgment made during the short track speed skating events at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. On the 8th, the KSOC held an emergency press conference at the main media center of the Beijing Winter Olympics. Yoon Hong-geun, the head of the Korean delegation, stated, "We have requested an impromptu meeting with President Bach through IOC member Lee Ki-heung, chairman of the KSOC, and IOC athlete representative Yoo Seung-min," adding, "We plan to strongly urge that such unfair incidents do not recur."

In the men's 1000m semifinals the previous day, Hwang Dae-heon (Gangwon Province Office) and Lee Jun-seo (Korea National Sport University) finished first and second in their heat but were disqualified due to questionable rulings. Both were accused of lane changes constituting fouls, allowing Chinese skaters Li Wenlong and Wu Dajing, who finished third in the heat, to advance to the finals. There was no contact that could be considered problematic, nor any obstruction of the Chinese skaters' paths.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The KSOC plans to escalate the protest by filing a case with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Head Yoon said, "We will explore all possible avenues and file the case according to proper procedures," adding, "We will employ every means and method to ensure that such incidents never happen again in the international skating and sports community." He continued, "The athletes who have trained tirelessly for the past four years are the greatest victims," and added, "We will do our utmost to support them so they remain steadfast, including providing psychological counseling."