By Kang Dong-hoon Reporter = Lee Sang-min (23-Seongnam FC) has been named to the final 22-man roster for the Hangzhou Asian Games, and the backlash has been fierce. Fans are outraged, saying that it is unacceptable for a player who was caught by the police driving under the influence of alcohol and was disciplined for covering it up to compete in an international tournament with the Korean flag.
Lee was named to the final roster of the Hangzhou Asian Games soccer team led by Hwang Sun-hong, 55, on Thursday. He has been called up consistently since Hwang’s reign began in September 2021.
Lee Sang-min has been named to the final roster of the Hangzhou Asian Games soccer team, and public opinion is in a frenzy. There have been numerous posts and comments on social media and various communities calling for his exclusion. Several fans pointed out, “It’s unacceptable for a player with a drunk driving conviction to play in an international tournament with the Korean flag.”
In fact, Lee had been caught driving under the influence in 2020. In the process, he played three games without immediately disclosing his arrest, leading to controversy over a cover-up. As a result, he was suspended for 15 K League games and fined 4 million won by the Korean Professional Football Association’s punishment committee.
After his suspension was lifted, Lee played for Chungnam Asan FC before moving to Seongnam ahead of this season. In the meantime, he has been consistently called upon by coach Hwang Sun-hong, most notably at the 2022 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-23 Asian Cup. And now, he’s been named to the final roster for the Hangzhou Asian Games.
The problem with Lee’s selection is that an athlete who not only drove drunk, but also covered it up, is likely to receive “military service benefits” for competing in international competitions under the flag. If Hwang wins a gold medal, the criticism is likely to intensify. At the same time, the controversy will only grow as the precedent is set that it is not impossible to be selected for the national soccer team and compete in international competitions even if you are driving under the influence.
To make matters worse, the Asian Olympic Council (OCA) had previously set a 15-day deadline for submitting the final list. Any changes to the final roster would have to be due to injury or medical reasons. No other reason can be given. In effect, there is no chance of Lee dropping out.바카라
“To change the roster, there must be an injury or medical reason, and substitutions can be made up to six hours before kickoff,” said an official from the Korean Football Association (KFA).
“The drunk driving incident occurred in May 2020, and at the time, he received a 15-game suspension from the K League, which he fulfilled. He also participated in the U-23 Asian Cup last year, so he was able to be selected.” “Coach Hwang Sun-hong was also aware of the drinking incident and decided to select him based on the situation that was cleared up through disciplinary action.”
Coach Hwang Sun-hong was clearly aware of the fact that he had been drinking.