Lee Ki-heung, president of the Korea Sports Council, attended the National Assembly inspection [사진제공:연합뉴스]
The Sports Ethics Center has decided to request an investigation into Lee Ki-heung, chairman of the Korea Sports Council, on charges of obstruction of business.
The Sports Ethics Center decided on the 25th of last month to request an investigation after determining that Chairman Lee Ki-heung used his position to interfere with the by-election for the head of the Tennis Association.
The Sports Ethics Center, which investigated this matter for about six months from the end of April when it decided to conduct an ex officio investigation, requested disciplinary action from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism along with requesting an investigation.
In addition, it was decided to impose a fine of up to 5 million won on Chairman Lee, saying that he violated the provisions of the National Sports Promotion Act that stipulates the obligation to faithfully participate in the investigation by failing to respond to three requests for attendance.
The Tennis Association suspended the presidential by-election on October 26 last year in accordance with the instructions of the Sports Council. However, the Sports Council effectively ordered the suspension of the by-election on the grounds that suspicions were raised that one candidate had grounds for disqualification and that the Sports Ethics Center was conducting an investigation into the Tennis Association. The Tennis Association’s position is that it did.
The Sports Ethics Center determined that Lee Ki-heung, president of the Korea Sports Council, intervened in the administration of the Tennis Association based on claims or abstract opinions that did not correspond to facts.
After being elected as the president of the Korea Sports Council in 2016, Chairman Lee Ki-heung, who is about to end his second term this year, recently submitted materials to the Sports Fair Committee for review regarding his bid for a third term.
The Sports Fair Committee, which first reviewed whether to approve Chairman Lee’s reappointment on the 4th, plans to reach a conclusion at a general meeting scheduled for the 12th.
