The incumbent South Korean Olympic chief Lee Kee-heung was granted a possibility to run for a 3rd time period on Tuesday, regardless of the cloud of a latest government-issued suspension looming massive over his head.
The Fee for Honest Play in Sport on the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC) authorized Lee’s software to run for a 3rd time period as head of the KSOC on Jan. 14, 2025.
Lee, 69, was first elected to the highest KSOC publish in September 2016 and received reelection in 2021. Per KSOC statutes, its president might run for a second time period with out restrictions, however a bid for a 3rd time period have to be authorized by the Fee for Honest Play in Sport.
The subcommission’s deliberation started lower than 24 hours after the sports activities ministry determined to droop Lee’s duties because the KSOC’s president. On Sunday, the ethics inspection workforce underneath the Workplace for Authorities Coverage Coordination had introduced that it will ask police to analyze Lee and some different sports activities officers for obvious misconduct.
Lee has filed for a courtroom injunction to nullify the ministry’s suspension. He should run for president whereas underneath suspension.
Lee traveled to Switzerland this week for the World Union of Olympic Cities Sport Summit and is scheduled to return dwelling Thursday.
Among the many standards for the subcommission’s analysis for Lee’s bid have been his contribution to the KSOC’s funds, integrity in his operations of the group and his effort to take care of excessive moral requirements as the highest government.
Subcommission members additionally appeared into Lee’s imaginative and prescient to develop a variety of sports activities and sports activities throughout totally different areas of the nation and his position as a member of a global sports activities physique. Lee was elected to the Worldwide Olympic Committee (IOC) in 2019.
Earlier than the subcommission’s assembly started, members of the KSOC’s labor union picketed exterior the convention room on the Olympic Centre in southeastern Seoul, calling for a good analysis by the subcommission and demanding Lee’s resignation.
After the ministry suspended Lee, an official there claimed that the choice didn’t have something to do with the upcoming KSOC election. The official stated the ministry merely adopted legal guidelines that enable it to self-discipline heads of public establishments over improper conduct.
Lee was accused by the federal government inspectors of ordering the relief of job necessities on the Jincheon Nationwide Coaching Heart in an effort to rent a buddy of his daughter, and likewise of bypassing an inside report back to decrease the applicant’s wage and changing an official who opposed Lee’s hiring plan.
The federal government inspectors additionally discovered that Lee had authorized a plan to ask the top of a nationwide sports activities governing physique to pay for gear offered to South Korean Olympic athletes, value some 80 million received ($56,890). The one who made the cost on the KSOC’s behalf was a longtime affiliate of Lee’s and had expressed an curiosity in securing a key place with South Korea’s delegation to the Paris Olympics. The federal government inspectors stated the particular person ended up getting the job he needed.
In keeping with the inspectors, Lee can also be believed to have distributed sponsored items, together with cellphones, sneakers and sun shades, to his buddies and acquaintances with out holding correct information.
The inspectors claimed KSOC staff didn’t cooperate with the probe, saying some deliberately eliminated pc arduous drives and refused to submit data requested by the federal government workforce.
The KSOC rejected these findings and accused the federal government of illegally meddling with the KSOC presidential election.
It stated its staff had been underneath duress due to a number of, simultaneous audits for 3 months following the Paris Olympics, which resulted in insufficient responses to a number of the authorities’s requests.
The KSOC then requested for a extra thorough reinvestigation and vowed to completely cooperate with any upcoming probe.
Later Tuesday, the sports activities ministry condemned the KSOC subcommission’s resolution to clear the trail for Lee.
In a press release, the ministry stated it had earlier identified the composition of the subcommission might jeopardize its integrity and transparency. Kim Byoung-chul, head of the subcommission, served as Lee’s particular assistant from 2017 to 2019.
“We categorical our deep remorse that the KSOC pushed forward with its deliberation and reached this conclusion with out accepting our criticism of its Fee for Honest Play in Sport,” the ministry stated.
“Now we have concluded that we are able to not anticipate equity from the KSOC, nor can we anticipate it to get its act collectively by itself. We’ll take all corresponding administrative and monetary steps towards the KSOC for its unfair practices.”
The ministry added it can begin asking unbiased organizations to overview functions for consecutive phrases by heads of sports activities governing our bodies.
Lee’s standing as KSOC president can also be tied to his IOC membership.
Lee was elected to the IOC in 2019 in his capability as head of his nationwide Olympic physique. He should stay as KSOC president to retain his IOC membership, however his IOC time period is ready to run out subsequent 12 months regardless.
The age restrict for IOC members is ready at 70, and their phrases are to finish on the ultimate day of the 12 months during which they flip 70. Lee turns 70 in January 2025.
A one-time extension of the time period, for a most of 4 years past 70, will be granted upon suggestion by the IOC Government Board, however such extensions are principally given to these deemed to have made particular contributions to the Olympic Motion. (Yonhap)
