Chairman Kim Eung-yong: "Korean Baseball Must Reflect... Even Elementary Students Follow Quarantine Rules"

by Online Issue Team

Published 09 Aug.2021 09:51(KST)

On April 24, at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field, during the 2021 KBO Professional Baseball game between the Samsung Lions and the KIA Tigers, former Korea Baseball Softball Association (KBSA) president Kim Eung-yong, invited for "Tigers Legend Day," is throwing the ceremonial first pitch.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Online Issue Team] The South Korean national baseball team has been criticized for not only their worst performance at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics but also for violating quarantine rules and chewing gum indifferently during games, displaying inappropriate behavior as professionals. Kim Eung-yong (80), former president of the Korea Baseball Softball Association (KBSA), also criticized, saying "They need to reflect deeply."

According to Yonhap News on the 9th, former president Kim said, "Watching the Tokyo Olympic games was very painful," and raised his voice, saying, "The players, coaches, and the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) must reflect deeply."

Former president Kim pointed out, "In the past, the national baseball team gave their all in international competitions," and added, "It is true that South Korean baseball has a skill gap compared to countries like the United States and Japan, but until now, they endured it with strong spirit. However, it seems that such spirit has disappeared this time."

In the bronze medal game of baseball at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Kang Baek-ho (kt) was captured chewing gum with a nonchalant expression during the game, which sparked criticism. Photo by KBS broadcast screen capture

He continued, "In this tournament, they seemed drained because they only focused on Japan," and said, "Fans must have been very disappointed watching the last two games (the loser’s semifinal against the United States and the bronze medal match against the Dominican Republic)."

Former president Kim also pointed out that it was wrong from the start that some players violated quarantine rules by drinking with ordinary people at a hotel in Gangnam, Seoul, ahead of the Tokyo Olympics opening.

He said, "These days, even elementary school students wear masks during training," and added, "Even young children follow quarantine rules while sweating profusely in hot weather, but professional players behaved very wrongly," and said, "The KBO should have taken a firm stance and imposed strict disciplinary actions to prevent recurrence, but they did not."

He added, "In such circumstances, how could the players have played properly? It was as if they played with oil in their bellies."

Furthermore, former president Kim emphasized, "The KBO must also take a firm stance," and said, "If any member has done wrong, strict punishment must be imposed to prevent recurrence."