"To Protect the Athlete" "Pushed Away Due to Pain in Solar Plexus"... Coach and Athlete Clarify Physical Contact Controversy at Marathon

'2025 Incheon International Marathon' Women's Winner Lee Sumin
Pushes Away Coach After He Tries to Support Her at Finish Line
Some Raise Concerns Over "Unnecessary Physical Contact"
Coach Kim Wanki Explains, "She Reacted Due to Pain in Her Solar

Kim Wanki, head coach of the Samcheok City Hall team, who became embroiled in controversy at the Incheon International Marathon for allegedly making excessive physical contact with a female athlete, has attempted to clarify the situation, stating, "It was a misunderstanding caused by the athlete's chest brushing against me." Coach Kim explained, "I was only trying to protect the athlete because there was a risk she might collapse immediately after finishing the race."

Coach wraps athlete's upper body, athlete pushes away... Controversial scene at Incheon Marathon

The moment Su Min Lee (Samcheok City Hall), who finished first in the women's division of the 2025 Incheon International Marathon, crossed the finish line. Photo by KBS Sports

The controversial scene occurred at the finish line of the 2025 Incheon International Marathon, held in Songdo, Incheon, on November 23. The issue began when the broadcast captured the moment Su Min Lee, who finished first in the domestic women's division, crossed the finish line. As Lee's body lurched forward immediately after completing the race, Coach Kim, who was waiting at the finish line, was seen wrapping a towel around her upper body. It is common practice to cover athletes with a blanket or towel after a marathon to prevent hypothermia.

However, as the footage showed Lee grimacing and appearing to push Coach Kim away, some viewers speculated that the coach had made excessive physical contact, making the athlete uncomfortable. Online, reactions included, "The athlete's expression shows clear discomfort," and "The coach's hand went excessively below the waist," with some questioning whether this constituted sexual harassment.

The moment Su Min Lee (Samcheok City Hall), who finished first in the women's division of the 2025 Incheon International Marathon, crossed the finish line. Photo by KBS Sports

Coach Kim Wanki: "If you don't hold them, they get hurt... It's common in marathons"

As the controversy grew, Coach Kim Wanki explained the situation in an interview with News1 on November 24. He said, "Marathons are extremely demanding, and especially for female athletes, it is common for them to faint or collapse immediately after crossing the finish line. If you don't hold them, they can fall and get seriously injured."

Coach Kim added, "At the recent Chuncheon Marathon, I also caught one of our athletes who nearly collapsed from exhaustion. Even then, because she was so weak, she ended up with a bruise on her knee. There are many such cases."

Coach Kim also shared that after the controversy arose, the athlete in question expressed her apologies. According to Coach Kim, the athlete said, "Because I was running in so hard, my chest hit you and it hurt so much that I instinctively pushed you away. I'm really sorry that such a scene was shown on TV." Coach Kim replied, "It's okay. You worked hard."

Coach Kim stated, "From a viewer's perspective, seeing someone holding and then being pushed away might seem inappropriate, and people might think of it as misconduct. However, in track and field, this is a very common occurrence. All coaches hold onto athletes as they cross the finish line."