South Korea’s soccer affiliation has apologised for “varied controversies” together with a scandal surrounding alleged funds made for sexual favours for overseas referees.
A report by the nation’s ministry of tradition, sport and tourism concerning the allegations was compiled in 2016 and made public final week after it was obtained by South Korean media organisation JTBC.
In response to JTBC’s investigation, the ministry discovered funds totalling 5.6m received (£2,927) had been made utilizing Korea Soccer Affiliation (KFA) bank cards for “sexual leisure” at therapeutic massage parlours for overseas referees visiting the nation to officiate matches within the early 2010s.
They embody referees who took cost of qualifying matches for the 2014 World Cup and 2012 Olympic Video games in London by which the South Korea nationwide workforce had been taking part.
South Korea certified for each tournaments.
The report concluded that KFA workers reported the bills beneath false pretences, claiming the cash was used for food and drinks or massages.
JTBC mentioned an official on the KFA mentioned “it was frequent follow again in these days”.
In a press release posted to social media, the KFA mentioned: “We provide our deepest apologies for the frustration and concern attributable to the assorted controversies.”
It listed a wide range of causes for the apology, together with the workforce’s poor efficiency on the 2026 World Cup, but additionally referenced “media studies concerning occasions from over a decade in the past that even a lot of our personal workers members had been unaware of”.
The assertion added: “Nonetheless, we want to clearly state that such inappropriate conduct or misuse of company playing cards is totally not occurring on the affiliation at current.
“Our affiliation, which should deliver pleasure and exhilaration to soccer followers via the fierce pursuit of targets and the truthful sportsmanship that emerges within the course of, has lately overpassed its elementary goal and finds itself in a really dire state of affairs.”
Supervisor Hong Myung-bo and KFA president Chung Mong-gyu each resigned from their posts earlier this summer season following ferocious public anger over South Korea’s efficiency on the World Cup, by which they didn’t make it out of a bunch that includes Mexico, the Czech Republic and South Africa.
