Ji So-yun of WK League club Suwon FC Women [Newsis]
Ji So-yun of WK League club Suwon FC Women [Newsis]

The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee said Tuesday it will convene its gender equality committee and develop measures to prevent a recurrence of incidents like the sexual harassment controversy involving Ji So-yun of Suwon FC Women, after a referee allegedly made a demeaning remark toward her during a WK League match.

The committee plans to meet soon to review the incident and seek advice on strengthening gender-sensitivity training for athletes, coaches, referees and other sports officials, as well as on institutional reforms to prevent similar cases.

The incident occurred Friday at Suwon Sports Complex during a match between Suwon FC Women and Seoul City Hall. According to the club, Ji protested a rough foul by an opposing player early in the game, at which point the referee allegedly told her, in effect, that she was being overly sensitive from the start and asked whether she was menstruating.

Speaking after the match, Ji said she had been objecting to repeated hard fouls by the opposing team. "While I was making my appeal, the remark was made beside me," she said. "When I heard it, I said, 'What did you just say? That kind of comment is grounds for disciplinary action' — and then I was the one who got a yellow card."

Suwon FC Women has formally raised the matter with the Korea Women's Football Federation, which has launched a fact-finding investigation.

Korean Sport & Olympic Committee President Yoo Seung-min said the rights and dignity of athletes must be respected under all circumstances on the field of play, and that no athlete should be hurt by gender-based bias or inappropriate remarks. "We are taking this matter very seriously and will listen carefully to the voices from the field to ensure it leads to meaningful improvement," he said.


yjc@heraldcorp.com