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Korea Olympic Committee (KOC) President Lee Yeon-taek is promising stronger support for South Korea’s Olympic athletes.
/ Courtesy of Korea Sports Council |
Two Koreas Could March Together in Opening Ceremony
By Kim Tong-hyung
Staff Reporter
Korean Olympic Committee (KOC) President Lee Yeon-taek is confident that South Korea could repeat as a top-10 finisher in the medal count at the Beijing Olympics in August. And he is ready to dangle bigger carrots to the athletes bringing home the hardware.
Lee is promising a reward of 50 million won ($48,300) to South Korean gold medallists, up from the 20 million won cash prize offered during the 2004 Summer Games in Athens.
The 72-year-old sports administrator believes that the increased prize money would provide extra motivation for the country's elite athletes squeezing their last ounces of blood, sweat and tears for personal glory in Beijing.
``Even with athletes sustaining their skills in top form, their performance could be determined by their condition and morale," said Lee in an interview with The Korea Times.
``I have visited the National Training Center in Taeneung and the morale of our Olympic athletes didn't seem as high as it was four years ago for the Athens Olympics. With the current political and social problems, the public interest in sports is not as great as it once was, and the financial support offered by the corporate world has also dipped.
``We are doing everything we can to bring up the morale of our athletes, including extra payment and special meals (at the Training Center).".
It is Lee's second term as the head of the Korea Sports Council, which doubles as the country's Olympic committee. Lee headed the country's top sporting body from 2002 to 2005 before conceding the post to Kim Jung-kil.
However, after Kim stepped down in May following a feud over personnel decisions with Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Yoo In-chon, Lee was voted by board members as president again.
``It is regrettable that the former president had to resign with the Olympics just around the corner, but I believe my previous experience in this job could provide stability in preparing for the Olympics," Lee said.
``I will keep a healthy relationship with the current government and take care of the administrative problems so our athletes could perform up to expectations in Beijing," he said.
In the Athens Olympics in 2004, South Korea finished ninth in the medal count with 30 ― nine gold, 12 silver and nine bronze medals.
However, making the top 10 in Beijing looks as a tougher task, with the South Koreans overlapped with the Chinese hosts in many strength areas, such as gymnastics, swimming and weightlifting.
There are concerns that the thunderous crowds backing the athletes of their home country could create a home-court advantage in some way.
``The individual abilities of athletes are not the only factors in sports, so it's up to our athletes to overcome that," Lee said.
``The coaches at the National Training Center is doing a good job in preparing the athletes for game-type situations.
``Our goal remains the same ― finishing in the top 10 in the medal tally and second to only China among Asian countries."
Although the talks about forming a joint Olympic team between South and North Korea fell through, Lee said he is still discussing with officials in Pyongyang over the possibilities of the athletes of both countries marching together in the opening ceremony as a gesture of peace.
thkim@koreatimes.co.kr
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