Wednesday January 16, 2013
South Korea gets tough on abusive coaches
SEOUL: South Korea yesterday unveiled measures aimed at protecting athletes from violent coaches, as a survey showed physical and mental abuse was widely accepted in both amateur and elite sports circles.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced a principle of “zero tolerance” for coaches caught beating athletes to force them to train harder.
A nationwide database will be created to track coaches’ disciplinary records, and sports governing bodies will be obliged to use independent experts for probes into abuse cases.
Any organisations that fail to abide by the guidelines face losing their government grants.
A recent survey of 898 athletes, 85 parents and 66 coaches showed a high incidence of abuse - including slapping and caning - in South Korean sports.
Nearly 30% of athletes said they had been beaten by coaches, and 9.5% said they were sexually abused.
But the study also uncovered a high level of tolerance among the victims.
Around 23% of athletes said they believed physical abuse was a necessary motivating tool in improving their performance.
And 47% of parents said they knew their children had been hit but decided not to report the cases because they felt the methods were justified.
In 2004 six South Korean women speed skaters fled the national team training centre, complaining that they were habitually beaten by their coach.
Last year, the Sports Ministry interviewed all South Korea athletes who took part in the London Paralympic Games, after one of them claimed he was beaten several times by his coach. The coach was consequently suspended for life. — AFP
- Hosts Malaysia make a tame exit at the hands of Germany
- BAM: There will be no more sweeping under the carpet
- It’s the last $traw thanks to the BWF
- Japanese upset Danes and Joo-bong is all smiles
- Denmark not prepared to take on mighty China just yet
- Dane loves to unwind with her Modern Family
- Tommy not afraid to play for country despite loss
- Low Wee Wern fails to clear opening round again in British Open
- Cyclists give the thumbs up to world-class velodrome
- Golf governing bodies ban controversial putter from 2016
- Cycling: Wintry weather may force more Giro changes
- Cricket: Warner fined for Twitter outburst
- Garcia apologises for 'fried chicken' jibe at Woods
- Tomic will play French Open despite troubles - Woodbridge
- Winger Ioane faces fitness race for first Lions test
- Cheruiyot expecting first child, aims to return in 2014
- Ramy wins fiery battle of words and deeds
- Injured Murray withdraws from French Open
- Zhang Jike retains world crown to secure fourth major title in a row
- Joy for Thongchai after Match-Play woe
RSS
