SEOUL — The sports minister announced that government-led audits into the national football and badminton federations, sparked by recent controversies, are slated to conclude in September. This development follows scrutiny over operational issues and high-profile appointments within the federations.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Sports and Tourism, the findings from the audits are expected before the end of next month. The statement came during a plenary meeting of the Culture, Sports, and Tourism Committee of the National Assembly. The audits were initiated following contentious decisions, including the appointment of Hong Myung-bo as the new head coach of the men’s national football team by the Korea Football Association (KFA).
The ministry’s decision to audit the KFA came after questions arose about the process that led to Hong’s hiring in July, which had previously focused on foreign candidates. The lack of clear explanation from the KFA and Hong about the appointment has led to broader investigations into the federation’s governance and financial practices. Yu expressed concerns over a significant financial move by the KFA, which involved taking out a 60 billion won line of credit for constructing a new national football center without ministry approval.
Disciplinary actions are being considered against officials involved in unauthorized financial activities. Moreover, the future of KFA chief Chung Mong-gyu is uncertain, with his eligibility for re-election contingent on approval from the Fair Play Commission of the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee.
Additionally, issues in the Badminton Korea Association (BKA) are under scrutiny, highlighted by claims from Olympic badminton champion An Se-young about outdated operations and inefficiencies. The ministry aims to address these concerns by the end of September, examining everything from athlete-coach relationships to financial management within the BKA.
Lawmakers during the session pointed out that many sports federations have been slow to evolve, remaining stuck in outdated practices despite advances in athlete performance and expectations. KSOC President Lee Kee-heung emphasized the need to prioritize athlete protection and modernize federation practices to better align with current sporting demands.