Igangin Started for PSG... But Disappeared from Domestic Broadcast Subtitles

Excluded from usual graphics placement
"Was controversy anticipated?" Speculation arises from some quarters

Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain·PSG), the central figure in the so-called 'Pingpong Gate,' was excluded from the domestic broadcast subtitles during his first match after returning to his club.

On the 2nd (local time), the 2023 AFC Asian Cup quarterfinal match between Korea and Australia was held at Al Wakrah Al Janoub Stadium in Qatar. Lee Kang-in is showing regret after missing a shooting opportunity. [Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 18th (Korean time), PSG won 2-0 away against FC Nantes in the 22nd round of the 2023-24 Ligue 1 season held at Stade de la Beaujoire in France. Lee Kang-in played 61 minutes in the match, contributing to the team's victory with a 90% pass success rate, but he faced humiliation in the domestic broadcast. The broadcaster, 'Coupang Play,' removed all photos and graphics related to Lee Kang-in. Even in the main PSG match graphics, Kylian Mbapp? was featured instead of Lee Kang-in. The scoreboard at the top did not indicate whether Lee Kang-in started the match.

Broadcast preview screen of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) match before and after the controversy of discord in the national soccer team. Previously, photos of Lee Kang-in and Kylian Mbappe were placed together, but after the controversy, Lee Kang-in's photo is missing. [Image source=Screenshot from Coupang Play]

Usually, Lee Kang-in's face appeared almost every time on the pre-match broadcast preview screen. He was often placed alongside PSG superstar Kylian Mbapp?. On days when Lee started, his face and starting status were displayed on the scoreboard. However, despite being included in the starting lineup this time, none of the usual photos or graphics appeared. Some netizens speculated that this was done in consideration of the recent controversy.

The graphic showing Lee Kang-in's face and his starting lineup status disappeared from the scoreboard on the live broadcast screen. [Image source: Coupang Play screen capture]

Earlier, on the 14th, the British media outlet The Sun reported that "Son Heung-min dislocated his finger during an argument with teammates at a dinner the night before the Asian Cup semi-final," revealing the 'Pingpong Gate' controversy. Subsequently, the Korea Football Association acknowledged the incident, explaining that the argument started when Son Heung-min scolded younger players who went to play table tennis after dinner, which escalated into a physical altercation. It was also revealed that Son Heung-min suffered a finger dislocation from the incident.

On the same day, Lee Kang-in posted on his Instagram story, "I should have taken the lead and listened well to the older players, but I am sorry for showing a bad image to the fans." However, the next day, through a statement from his legal representative, he denied the reports that he punched Son Heung-min in the face, stating, "The article claiming I punched Son Heung-min is not true," and added, "There were senior players playing table tennis at the time, and table tennis had always been played before that day."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.