Short track medalists Lee, Kwak deprived of rewards

By Yoon Chul

Vancouver Olympic medalists Lee Jung-su and Kwak Yoon-gy were excluded from the list of government rewards, Thursday.

The Korea Olympic Committee (KOC) came to this decision while announcing the list of rewards in recognition of achievements in the Winter Games in 2010. The two players were excluded for their seemingly dishonest conduct in the way they made the national team.

The government provides 40 million won for gold, 20 million won for silver, and 12 million won for bronze medalists. Team competition medalists are given 30 million won for gold, 15 million won for silver and 10 million won for bronze.

In addition Samsung Electronics Chairman and IOC member Lee Kun-hee also promised that he would give half of what the government does to each athlete.

In Vancouver Lee snatched two individual gold medals in the men’s 1,500- and 1,000-meter events and one silver in the 5,000-meter relay while Kwak grabbed the silver in the 5,000-meter relay.

“The government planned to give 52 million won to head coach Kim Ki-hoon, 90 million won to Lee and 15 million won to Kwak. But they have been left off the list,” the KOC official said.

The two Olympic medal-winning short track skaters were involved in a race-rigging scandal, and were handed a six-month suspension in July.

Under the rules of their suspension they cannot appear in the competition for of national team selection, which will be held this month. Kim also misses out on his bonus for his suspected role in the race-rigging.

The athletes received the pay-outs last month, later than originally planned as the KOC needed time to decide the level of punishment they would mete out.