- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,267,973
- Reaction score
- 59
The South Korean Football Association (KFA) has allegedly provided sexual entertainment to foreign referees between 2011 and 2012, the Yonhap news agency reported on Friday citing a past government audit report.
According to the audit report compiled by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2016, the KFA used corporate credit cards to pay for sexual entertainment at massage parlours and other adult establishments in Seoul and other cities that hosted international matches between March 2011 and March 2012.
Those matches included qualifiers for the 2012 Olympics in London and the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. South Korea went undefeated in those seven contests with five wins and two draws.
According to Yonhap, about a dozen of referees and match coordinators received such favours and they were from Japan, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Bahrain and Uzbekistan.
Former KFA officials told the JTBC network that such practice was "common at the time" and that some referees specifically asked to be served at adult establishments.
According to the Yonhap report, the incidents had already been identified in 2016, but were not made public at that time.
Although massage parlours offering sexual services are widespread in South Korea, prostitution is prohibited. In addition, the bylaws of international football associations prohibit any form of financial compensation for referees.
The KFA is currently under intense political pressure. On Thursday, authorities raided the KFA's offices as part of a probe into the appointment of former men's national team coach Hong Myung Bo.
Police seized documents that they believe will help determine whether there was any improper meddling and obstruction by KFA leaders, including its former chief Chung Mong-gyu, during the hiring process.
Continue reading...
According to the audit report compiled by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2016, the KFA used corporate credit cards to pay for sexual entertainment at massage parlours and other adult establishments in Seoul and other cities that hosted international matches between March 2011 and March 2012.
Those matches included qualifiers for the 2012 Olympics in London and the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. South Korea went undefeated in those seven contests with five wins and two draws.
According to Yonhap, about a dozen of referees and match coordinators received such favours and they were from Japan, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Bahrain and Uzbekistan.
Former KFA officials told the JTBC network that such practice was "common at the time" and that some referees specifically asked to be served at adult establishments.
According to the Yonhap report, the incidents had already been identified in 2016, but were not made public at that time.
Although massage parlours offering sexual services are widespread in South Korea, prostitution is prohibited. In addition, the bylaws of international football associations prohibit any form of financial compensation for referees.
The KFA is currently under intense political pressure. On Thursday, authorities raided the KFA's offices as part of a probe into the appointment of former men's national team coach Hong Myung Bo.
Police seized documents that they believe will help determine whether there was any improper meddling and obstruction by KFA leaders, including its former chief Chung Mong-gyu, during the hiring process.
Continue reading...
