The futility of the Korea Football Association, which gave an indulgence to the crime of match-fixing, was also criticized by the Japanese media.
On the 28th of last month, the Korea Football Association announced that it would pardon 100 former and incumbent players, coaches, referees, and group executives who are being disciplined for various misconduct. Forty-eight former players who were permanently expelled for match-fixing were also included. It was a surprise announcement made ahead of the game against Uruguay.
It was an action that sprinkled ashes on soccer, which is gaining popularity after reaching the round of 16 in the Qatar World Cup. There was a huge aftershock. In the end, the Football Association held a board meeting again on the 31st and made the pardon a non-issue.
Chung Mong-kyu, head of the Korea Football Association, said, “I have been receiving suggestions from front-line footballers about how to be lenient now that they have fully reflected on themselves and paid the price for their sins to some extent from about two years ago. It was judged that the effect of the alarm that sounded to all football workers through the heavy punishment was also quite successful. But as it turned out, the judgment was not thoughtful. I couldn’t fully understand the tremendous shock and emotional wounds that footballers and fans received from the match-fixing incident.”
Despite Chairman Chung’s announcement, the controversy has not subsided. Vice Chairman Lee Young-pyo, Vice Chairman Lee Dong-guk, and Social Contribution Chairman Cho Won-hee, who are members of the board of directors of the Football Association, all resigned from the Football Association executives late at night on the 3rd. In addition, on the 4th, all the directors of the Football Association decided to resign.
The Japanese media also criticized the Korea Football Association’s decision in a strong tone. ‘Soccer Digest’ said, “As a sign of self-congratulation that Korean football has advanced to the World Cup finals for the 10th consecutive time and advanced to the round of 16 in the World Cup in Qatar, the Korea Football Association announced that it would pardon 100 people who committed crimes such as match fixing. The fans and the media stood up and said, “Don’t play around.” Then, the Korea Football Association withdrew the decision to pardon after three days,” he said, giving weight to the news.
Then, the media said,메이저사이트 “A stupid situation occurred in which the amnesty was withdrawn in just three days. In the Korean sports world, such greetings are often practiced. Numerous discussions and careful judgment are required for the amnesty of match-fixing, the most serious crime in the soccer world. The Korea Football Association, which ignored it, is exposed to stupid headwinds.”