ed Park Tae-hwan's Rio quest

After successful national team trials last week, swimmer Park Tae-hwan has announced his quest to compete in the Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympics. He took a deep bow at a press conference Monday in Incheon City Hall, saying that he wanted one more chance to “serve the nation.”

His stellar performance at his first competition following a doping suspension has triggered a public debate about whether the 2008 Olympic champion in the 400-meter freestyle should be part of the Korean Olympic team at Rio. Park’s Olympic status remains in limbo because of Korean Olympic Committee (KOC) regulation that bans athletes who have served doping suspensions from the Olympics for three years starting on the day their suspension ends.

Despite his doping scandal, Koreans have a soft spot for the 27-year-old, who put Korea’s swimming on the map by winning multiple medals at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics and two world titles. The public’s feelings for Park are reflected in the latest survey where more than 70 percent of the respondents said that Park should be on the Olympic team.

Park has proven that he is in good shape despite a long absence from competition, and his latest performance suggests that he would be an asset to the Olympic team. Despite the favorable public sentiment toward Park’s Rio quest, we believe that the KOC must stand by its rule limiting athletes with a doping history from representing the nation at the Olympics. Rules are rules and they should apply to every single athlete fairly, regardless of their achievements and records.

Most importantly, the KOC should not set a precedent of making exceptions for an athlete just because he or she enjoys national hero status. If the KOC should bend the rules to allow Park to go to Rio, it is doubtful his fellow swimmers would back such a biased decision.

Clearly, Korea’s best athletes should represent the nation at the Olympics. Park, who is in the twilight of his career, has already had his chances at the Olympics and has made his share of history for Korea’s swimming. He should be satisfied that he paved the way to give other younger swimmers a chance to compete in the Olympics, though they may not be as successful as Park was in his first Olympics in Beijing in 2008. The invaluable experience of taking part in the Olympics, however, may inspire them to reach new heights in their sport. This is more important for the future of Korean swimming than a personal triumph for Park in Rio.