“It’s really selfish” The flawed leaders of the sports world are coming to an end with ‘My Way’[기자수첩-스포츠]

Despite calls for disciplinary action from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister Yoo In-chon), as expected, following Lee Ki-heung’s bid for a third consecutive term as president of the Korea Sports Council, Chung Mong-gyu, president of the Korea Football Association, is poised to seek a fourth consecutive term.

According to soccer officials on the 28th, Chairman Chung recently decided to run for the next president election and plans to request a review of the Korea Sports Council’s Sports Fair Committee on the 2nd of next month.

Chairman Chung was appointed president of the Korea Football Association in 2013 and has been leading Korean football for three terms.

However, as the recent controversy over the appointment of national soccer team coaches Jürgen Klinsmann and Hong Myung-bo and the association’s unclear administration have come to light, voices calling for Chairman Chung’s resignation have grown louder. During a World Cup preliminaries home game, the home fans chanted “Chung Mong-gyu, get out!” throughout the game.

Based on the results of the audit, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism held Chairman Chung Mong-gyu and other related parties responsible for the poor management of the organization, including the improper selection process for the national team coach, and requested that the association take more severe punishment than suspension of Chairman Chung’s qualifications.

An official in the soccer world said, “I expected him to run for office, but when I saw his actions going against public opinion, I thought, ‘This is really selfish.’ Most soccer fans are also calling for him to resign, and the negative news caused by him is piling up. He sighed, saying, “If you love Korean soccer, isn’t stepping down really the best way for soccer?”

Until now, the election for the president of the Football Association has been a two-way race. Former national soccer team coach Huh Jung-moo announced his candidacy for president, creating a rivalry with Chairman Chung. Although the structure and atmosphere are quite different from the last two solo runs, it is true that if he runs, his chances of winning are high. The election for the President of the Korea Football Association will be held on January 8, 2025. As of now, running and being elected are likely.

Lee Ki-heung, President of the Korea Sports Council. ⓒ Korean Sports Council Union

Lee Ki-heung, president of the Korea Sports Council, who is under greater suspicion and greater pressure to resign than Chairman Chung, has already received approval from the Sports Fair Committee of the Korea Sports Council for his qualifications to run for the next president election and is in a position to run for a third term. He then submitted a declaration of intent to register as a candidate, effectively making his bid for a third term official. The next sports president election The next sports president election will be held on January 14th next year.

Chairman Lee is about to expire his second term at the end of this year after being elected in the 2016 Unified Sports Council election. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, he led the team to an overall 8th place (13 gold/9 silver/10 bronze), but was at the center of controversy after being accused of various misconduct during the management of the sports association.

On the 10th, the Government Joint Public Service Inspection Team of the Office for Government Policy Coordination announced the results of an inspection of the Korean Sports Council for irregularities and investigated Chairman Lee and others for reasons such as fraudulent hiring of employees, requests for product sponsorship (receiving money, etc.), and personal use of sponsorship items. I requested it. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism then notified Chairman Lee of his suspension.

Chairman Lee Ki-heung is surrounded by criticism that he is at the center of absurdity in the sports world. Although opposition to his candidacy is growing, he is still pursuing a third term. On the 12th, one day after the suspension was issued, Chairman Lee filed a lawsuit to cancel the suspension and an application for a temporary injunction to suspend execution. Since then, he has been going ‘my way’ by forcing himself to go to the office.

The possibility of winning is also high. An official familiar with the situation of the Sports Council said, “Chairman Lee has laid the groundwork (to gain votes) well over the past eight years. “If I run, I am likely to win,” he said, adding, “The judicial risk will be a later issue.”

Seyoung Ahn ⓒ Newsis

Kim Taek-gyu, president of the Korea Badminton Association, who rose to the surface thanks to the ‘resolute remarks’ of ‘World No. 1’ and 2024 Paris Olympics gold medalist Ahn Se-young, is a similar case.

After Ahn Se-young’s revelations, he is under pressure to resign due to the so-called ‘shuttlecock payback’ and violation of the subsidy law, but it seems likely that he will run for a second term. Last month, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism requested the dismissal of Chairman Kim, who is directly responsible for violating the Subsidy Act, and the will to seek a second term appears to be alive.

Despite public criticism and all-out pressure from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, there is a growing possibility that all of the sports leaders who caused the controversy will return alive. Given the organization’s structure, the incumbent’s chances of winning are high if he or she runs for election.

If you truly love the Korean sports world, it is right to put it down.

If presidents who have already lost their ability to self-purify and face future judicial risks are elected, the sports world will have no choice but to continue wasting time with unnecessary and unproductive controversies. What is even more unfortunate is the concern that the value of the just decisions of players and officials who had the courage to make improvements may be diluted and leave them with regrets.