Numerous female skaters in South Korea have come forward with allegations of sexual abuse against their coaches. A group representing the athletes has brought these accusations to light. These claims follow similar allegations made by Sukh-hee, a two-time Olympic champion, who revealed disturbing experiences of repeated rape by her former coach.These revelations come at a time when the #MeToo movement is gaining momentum, shedding light on the prevalent issues within the highly competitive sports scene of the country, characterized by intense training regimes and unhealthy coach-athlete relationships.
In addition to figure skating, female athletes in disciplines such as Judo, Taekwondo, and wrestling have also accused their male coaches of misconduct. Even the Olympic curling team, known as Garlic Girls, who clinched a silver medal, have alleged mistreatment by their coaches, including verbal abuse and withholding prize money.During a press conference at the South Korean parliament, a group called Solidarity for Young Skaters revealed that five more skaters have reported being sexually abused by their coaches. However, the identities of the accused coaches remain undisclosed due to privacy concerns.
Lawmaker Sohn Hye-won, present at the same press conference, highlighted one victim’s account of enduring persistent harassment by a coach since she was a teenager during her training at the Korea National Sports University, renowned for producing Olympic talents. The skater detailed instances of unwarranted physical contact, verbal abuse, and inappropriate behavior from the unnamed coach.Sohn has also called for an inquiry into Jeon Myeong-gyu, a former national team coach often revered as a key figure in South Korean skating.
