Four Implicated on Alcohol Consumption Receive One-year National Team Ban

Serious penalties befall on remorseful athletes. But no lifetime bans were imposed on any of the four athletes recently implicated.

The Korean Football Association’s November 2 committee meeting announced the punishments for the four athletes linked to alcohol-consumption during July’s 2007 Asian Cup: Lee Un-jae (34, Suwon Samsung), Woo Seong-yong (34, Ulsan Hyundai), Kim Sang-shik (31, Seongnam Ilhwa), and Lee Dong-guk (28, Middlesbrough).

Lee Un-jae received the harshest of penalties on the grounds of his captainship. He received a one-year ban from the national team, a three-year ban from KFA-sponsored matches (A-matches, FA-Cup), and 80 hours of community service. The remaining three footballers received equivalent sentences of a one-year national team ban, a two-year ban on association-sponsored matches, and 40 hours of community service.

Consideration for the professional longevity of these active players at or near the peaks of their careers, committee decisions excluded club teams’ commitments from the confines of their penal action. This follows suit with a similar sentencing in Japan and Europe that define their sanctions distinctly separate from the athlete’s involvement with their respective club teams.

Lee Gab-jin, the committee’s chairman, said, “National team members who escape from the realm of the team’s schedule to consume alcohol, especially during important international matches, cannot go unpunished with impunity. We factored in the players’ confessions and various other forms of evidence in deciphering the perpetrators from the bystanders. Regarding questions about the absent penalties to K-League participation, Lee explained, “We tried to minimize the club teams’ losses since the play of athletes’ club teams is not inclusive in the jurisdiction of this committee and its decisions.”

Lee Un-jae commented, “I will fully comply with the decisions of the association and the committee. I am grateful that they do not ban us from participating in K-League games. I will try to make it up to the fans through good performance and will try my best to have my debts repaid prior to my retirement.” Woo and Kim were also quoted, “We accept the association’s decisions, and promise to do our best to repay the fans.”

Coaches of the then national team and the current Olympics team, Hong Myeong-bo and Kosa, were issued warnings.

yjongk@donga.com