Civic groups criticized Son Woong-jung for "child abuse case, serious investigation and prevention of recurrence"
Jul 02, 2024
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The Lawyers for a Democratic Society, the Cultural Solidarity Alternative Sports Association, the Sports Human Rights Research Institute, and the Sports Citizens' Solidarity said in a statement on the 1st, `The Son Football Academy child abuse case, serious investigation and prevention of recurrence are needed.'
Director Son Woong-jung and two coaches were recently sent to the prosecution on charges of child abuse. Player C claimed that he was injured in the thigh by coach A during an off-season training in Okinawa, Japan, in March and suffered a two-week injury. It also included that head coach Son Woong-jung cursed during the training process.
Afterwards, director Sohn issued a statement saying that "an investigation is currently underway regarding harsh expressions during the recent academy training and corporal punishment (price of one thigh with a plastic corner flag while lying down)", and added, "First of all, I deeply apologize to the hurt child and his family, and I am sorry and sorry to the people for causing such controversy."
Civic groups have called for a thorough investigation.
They lamented, "'Social consensus has been reached on ending violence in the sports world, and various institutional mechanisms have been created to protect human rights, but it is devastating that such an incident has happened again.'
Regarding Sohn's explanation, 'This is not much different from the excuses of the perpetrators in repeated human rights violations in the sports world. On the contrary, it only proves that their sensitivity to human rights is extremely insufficient.'
They say that children who train silently to become successful athletes and leaders who hold their leashes are never on equal footing. How can they make a bet or an agreement on corporal punishment from an equal standpoint?' raised the question.
Then 'There must be similar child abuse in other private football academies. Overshadowed by the myth of Son Heung-min, many children, teenagers, and parents may be silently enduring sports violence in order to succeed as a player.
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Recently, Son Football Academy leaders are reportedly being investigated by prosecutors for child abuse. According to the media, the victims stated that during training in March this year, a coach from the Son Football Academy hit the thigh with a plastic corner flag while lying on his stomach against the children, and that there were several other violence and verbal abuse. In the meantime, social consensus has been reached on ending violence in sports, and various institutional mechanisms have been created to protect human rights, but it is devastating that such an incident has occurred again.
Son Football Academy leaders claimed in a statement that coaches and athletes agreed to get a hit if they were late for a first-come, first-served run, while `there was never a word or action that did not presuppose love for children.' This is not much different from the excuses of the perpetrators in repeated human rights violations in the sports world. Rather, it only proves that their sensitivity to human rights is extremely insufficient.
Children who train silently to become successful players and leaders who hold their leashes are never on equal footing. How can they make a bet or an agreement on corporal punishment from an equal standpoint? The more outrageous point is that not only in this case, but in many sports violence, leaders use violence under the pretext of 'love' and 'discipline'. Because of the intimacy gained during the training process, many victims of sports violence are often exposed to violence without recognizing it as violence. There is no way that other private football academies would have similar child abuse. In order to succeed as a player, many children, teenagers, and parents may be silently enduring sports violence.
According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, every child has the right to be protected from all forms of abuse, neglect, discrimination, and violence. All children have the right to enjoy soccer while protecting human rights in a safe environment. The culture and system in which children have to deal with violence, both large and small, because they want to succeed as soccer players, must be changed this time. To this end, we demand as follows.
One. Son Soccer Academy, come up with measures to protect and support the affected children!
One. Authorities should thoroughly investigate the Son Football Academy child abuse case!
One. The Korea Football Association and the Sports Ethics Center conduct a strict investigation into sports violence in private soccer academies!
dhhan@sportschosun.com
