[KBL 뉴스] ‘Towel assault controversy’ Sono director Kim Seung-gi eventually voluntarily resigns

Goyang Sono coach Kim Seung-gi, who was embroiled in controversy over assaulting a player with a towel, voluntarily resigned from the baton.

On the 22nd, Sono announced through the club’s official social networking service (SNS), “Coach Seung-gi Kim took responsibility for the recent controversy and scandal and resigned voluntarily.”

According to the club, Coach Kim said, “I am sorry for causing concern to professional basketball fans,” and expressed his intention to “resign in order to reform the team’s atmosphere.” After Coach Kim’s voluntary resignation, Sono said, “We are looking for a successor to Coach Kim,” and plans to appoint the next coach as soon as possible.

During the away game against Seoul SK held at Jamsil Student Gymnasium in Seoul on the 10th, Coach Kim strongly reprimanded one player for not properly following defensive instructions in the locker room. In the process, a strategy board eraser was thrown at the player and a wet towel was swung at him, and the player was hit in the face by the towel, sparking controversy over assault.

After its own investigation, the Sono club requested the KBL to hold a financial committee on the 20th. In addition to the club’s request, a report regarding this issue was also received at the KBL Clean Basket Center, and KBL began to investigate the facts.

The Clean Basket Center is an organization run by KBL to create a fair and transparent professional basketball game environment, and anonymously receives reports of various misconduct. In addition, KBL said that regardless of Coach Kim’s resignation, it plans to confirm the truth of the report and then hold a legislative committee as necessary.

Coach Kim began his career as coach of Wonju Dongbu (now DB) after retiring in the 2005/06 season. Afterwards, he debuted as a professional basketball coach as acting manager of Anyang Ginseng Corporation (currently CheongKwanJang) starting in the 2015/16 season, and led the team to a combined championship in the 2016/17 season and the championship in the 2020/21 season.

In 2022, he was appointed as the first coach of Goyang Carrot, the predecessor of Sono, and showed his capabilities as a coach by leading the team to the semifinals of the playoffs in so-called ‘archery basketball’.

But there was also a lot of controversy. He was disciplined six times by the KBL for ‘inappropriate language and behavior toward the referee after the end of the game’, and last year, he was severely punished with a fine of 10 million won by the KBL for verbally abusing and swearing at the opposing coaching staff after the game in the Wonju DB match on November 19.

Coach Kim, who was subject to frequent gossip, was eventually pointed out as the perpetrator of player assault and was forced to dishonorably step down as coach.

Sono is in 5th place with 5 wins and 5 losses this season and is scheduled to play an away game against DB on the 28th. Attention is being paid to whether the successor coach will be able to revive the atmosphere in a situation where the atmosphere within the team has calmed down due to the head coach’s assault on the players.