By Baek Byung-yeul
Anti-doping tests will be mandatory for professional athletes from now on, and those caught violating the rule three times will be permanently banned from their sport, the government announced Monday.
Based on the revised national sports law passed last November that enforces tests for performance-enhancing drugs by the Korea Anti-Doping Agency (KADA), the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) has approved a new anti-doping rule that regulates testing and stipulates sanctions.
The MCST said the new anti-doping rule is set up by KADA, the governing body for drug testing of professional athletes.
The new anti-doping rule was set up by KADA after gathering opinions from seven major professional sports organizations ― the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association, the Korea Professional Golfers' Association, the Korea Volleyball Federation, the Korean Basketball League, the Women's Korean Basketball League, the Korea Professional Football League (K-League) and the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO).
"Making anti-doping tests mandatory for amateur athletes as well as professional athletes will provide an opportunity for Korean athletes to protect their health and promote fair competition," the ministry said in a statement.
While amateur athletes here have been subject to KADA's drug rules, professional sports organizations have been imposing their own sanctions. With the new rule, KADA will establish its drug-testing schedule and implement it every year.
According to the new rule, there are different levels of sanctions in each sport, but they commonly state that professional athletes violating the rule three times will be banned from the sport permanently.
As for first-time violations by professional football players, they will be excluded from playing for up to four years.
For first-time violations by professional baseball, volleyball and basketball players, they will be excluded for up to half of the regular season.
First offenses by male and female golfers will result in a season ban.
The MCST added that sanctions on the athletes testing positive could be reduced depending on their degree of culpability and they can also appeal.
Korea's professional sports organizations have been criticized for imposing sanctions "too weakly" on players who violate the rule.
Choi Jin-haeng, a slugger for the KBO's Hanwha Eagles, was suspended for only 30 games last year after testing positive for stanozolol, a drug popular among bodybuilders.
Professional volleyball player Kwak Yu-hwa of the Heungkuk Life Pink Spiders received a six-game suspension after testing positive for phendimetrazine, which is on the WADA prohibited substances list.
Anti-doping tests will be mandatory for professional athletes from now on, and those caught violating the rule three times will be permanently banned from their sport, the government announced Monday.
Based on the revised national sports law passed last November that enforces tests for performance-enhancing drugs by the Korea Anti-Doping Agency (KADA), the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) has approved a new anti-doping rule that regulates testing and stipulates sanctions.
The MCST said the new anti-doping rule is set up by KADA, the governing body for drug testing of professional athletes.
The new anti-doping rule was set up by KADA after gathering opinions from seven major professional sports organizations ― the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association, the Korea Professional Golfers' Association, the Korea Volleyball Federation, the Korean Basketball League, the Women's Korean Basketball League, the Korea Professional Football League (K-League) and the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO).
"Making anti-doping tests mandatory for amateur athletes as well as professional athletes will provide an opportunity for Korean athletes to protect their health and promote fair competition," the ministry said in a statement.
While amateur athletes here have been subject to KADA's drug rules, professional sports organizations have been imposing their own sanctions. With the new rule, KADA will establish its drug-testing schedule and implement it every year.
According to the new rule, there are different levels of sanctions in each sport, but they commonly state that professional athletes violating the rule three times will be banned from the sport permanently.
As for first-time violations by professional football players, they will be excluded from playing for up to four years.
For first-time violations by professional baseball, volleyball and basketball players, they will be excluded for up to half of the regular season.
First offenses by male and female golfers will result in a season ban.
The MCST added that sanctions on the athletes testing positive could be reduced depending on their degree of culpability and they can also appeal.
Korea's professional sports organizations have been criticized for imposing sanctions "too weakly" on players who violate the rule.
Choi Jin-haeng, a slugger for the KBO's Hanwha Eagles, was suspended for only 30 games last year after testing positive for stanozolol, a drug popular among bodybuilders.
Professional volleyball player Kwak Yu-hwa of the Heungkuk Life Pink Spiders received a six-game suspension after testing positive for phendimetrazine, which is on the WADA prohibited substances list.
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