Coach hits athlete, gets expelled
(China Daily)
Updated: 2004-08-19 07:01

A South Korean judo coach was expelled from his country's sports federation for apparently hitting one of his athletes after she lost a bout, an official said Wednesday.

Suh Joung-bok was expelled by the South Korean Federation after a journalist reported seeing him strike Ye Gue-rin, 22, after she lost in the 48-kg tournament Saturday and reported it to sports officials, said Michel Brousse, spokesman for the International Judo Federation.

The South Korean Federation apologized to the IJF, Brousse said.

"We have received a letter of apology and note that he has been expelled by the Korean Federation and his sanction was confirmed by the IJF," he said.

In another incident the IJF is reviewing, Brousse said a three-person panel has been appointed to look further into the circumstances on an overweight Iranian athlete who reportedly said he would refuse to compete against an Israeli opponent in competition.

Arash Miresmaeili, a two-time world champion, may have deliberately avoided the first-round bout by showing up overweight.

He was scheduled to meet Ehod Vaks of Israel in the first round.

Brousse said that Miresmaeili was asked to meet with the panel on Thursday.

"We want to know if he was overweight accidentally or intentionally," Brousse said. "And the reasons why."

"He has to respect the values of the IOC and judo," Brousse said.