Sports Briefs

JUDO

Korea fails to win gold at World Judo Championships

For the first time in three years, Korea failed to win a gold medal in the individual matches at the 2017 World Judo Championships at Laszio Papp Budapest Sports Arena on Saturday.

Kim Min-jeong concluded her World Championship with a bronze medal in the women’s 78 kilograms (172 lbs) and on the men’s side, An Chang-rim also added another in the 73 kilograms division. Without a gold or silver, Korea concluded the individual event with three bronze medals, finishing 14th out of 39 participating countries in medal standing.

The World Judo Championship is considered the second-most prestigious event, after the Olympics, in judo and this is the first time since the 2014 World Judo Championship that Korea has not won a gold medal.

By Kang Yoo-rim

BASEBALL

Court denies arrest warrant for money scandal umpire

A Seoul court on Friday denied an arrest warrant for a former baseball umpire embroiled in a snowballing bribery scandal.

Seoul Central District Court turned down a request by prosecutors to arrest Choi Kyu-soon on gambling and fraud charges. Choi allegedly borrowed some 30 million won (US$26,700) from baseball officials and his friends without paying them back.

The court said Choi isn’t a flight risk and he is unlikely to try to destroy evidence.

Choi is a central figure in a scandal that has rocked the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), where four of the 10 clubs have admitted to paying him cash in 2012 and 2013. Choi left the league at the end of 2013.

Financial transactions of any kind between umpires and club employees are strictly prohibited.

In the aftermath, Doosan Bears President Kim Seung-young resigned from his post in July. Employees from the Samsung Lions and the Kia Tigers have been questioned by prosecutors, and Nexen Heroes owner Lee Chang-suk was summoned earlier in the week during the investigation.

Before attending a hearing on his warrant earlier Friday, Choi apologized to the fans for his “foolish act.”

Choi also admitted to receiving money from KBO officials and gambling it away, but denied he took money from more than those four teams.

When media reports first began alleging illicit transactions between Choi and KBO clubs last year, the league office conducted its own investigation into the matter. At the time, the Heroes, the Tigers and the Lions all said they never had any dealings with Choi. The Bears admitted to their wrongdoing, but the case didn’t become publicly known until July this year because the KBO didn’t make any announcement.

The sports ministry has requested a prosecution probe into the KBO for its suspected negligence of duty in handling the scandal.

Yonhap