"Due to Team Training and K League 1 Match Schedule"
Jesse Lingard of professional football K League 1 club FC Seoul will not attend the National Assembly audit. Previously, Lingard received a summons as a witness from the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee regarding the controversy over the turf at Seoul World Cup Stadium.
On the 12th, Yonhap News reported that a professional football official said, "Lingard has decided to submit a letter explaining his absence as a witness to the National Assembly," adding, "This decision was made considering the difficulty of attending as a witness due to team training and K League 1 match schedules."
Democratic Party lawmaker Wi Seong-gon recently selected Lingard as a witness to hear his opinion on the turf condition at Seoul World Cup Stadium, which has been a recent controversy, as Lingard has experience playing in the English Premier League (EPL), known for its excellent football infrastructure. There have been continuous criticisms regarding the turf condition at Seoul World Cup Stadium, the home ground of FC Seoul where Lingard plays.
After winning the match against Suwon FC held at Seoul World Cup Stadium on the 29th of last month, Lingard said in an interview, "The turf condition is serious," and added, "In the EPL, the ground is good, so you don't have to think about controlling the ball well. But here, before thinking about the next play, you have to focus on controlling the ball well in this environment."
Not only Lingard but also national team captain Son Heung-min criticized the turf condition after the A-match held at Seoul World Cup Stadium on the 5th of last month, saying, "(The turf condition) is directly related to performance," and "Improvement is necessary."
Afterwards, there was controversy among football fans about selecting Lingard, who is not a 'turf expert,' as a witness for the audit. After consulting with the club, Lingard decided not to attend the audit as a witness considering training and match schedules and will submit a letter explaining his absence to the National Assembly.
Meanwhile, FC Seoul will play an away match against Gangwon FC in the Hana Bank K League 1 2024 Final A Round 34 at Gangneung Sports Complex on the 20th.
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