Korean bowling coach warned for verbal abuse

GUANGZHOU, China - Korea’s top sports body issued a “stern warning” to the head coach of the country’s bowling team on Wednesday for verbally abusing his athletes at the Asian Games.

The Korean Olympic Committee (KOC) said it has disciplined bowling coach Kang Do-in, 57, for talking to his bowlers with coarse language. A Korean newspaper reported on the situation Monday night, quoting a Chinese journalist who claimed to have seen Kang hit Korean bowlers on the face and curse at them during competition earlier Monday. Kang later denied the charges that he had physically abused his bowlers and said he was only “patting” the bowlers on their faces to encourage them.

The KOC said in a statement on Wednesday that Kang didn’t appear to have acted with any violent intentions and only punished the coach on the count of verbal abuse.

Under Kang’s tutelage at this Asiad, South Korean bowlers have won six gold medals and 12 medals overall. Wednesday is the final day for bowling here in Guangzhou.

Yonhap