'Kang Jung-ho should keep playing until charged'
/Courtesy of Twitter
By Lee Han-soo
South Korean Major League Baseball player Kang Jung-ho, who is being investigated over an alleged sexual assault in Chicago, should be able to “keep playing until charged,” an editor of U.S. newspaper the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said in an opinion piece.
“As long as he hasn’t been charged with a crime, he shouldn’t be suspended,” Paul Zeise said. “There is a huge difference between being investigated for a crime and being charged with a crime. If, after a thorough investigation, it is determined that there is enough evidence to charge Kang with a crime, then, and only then, the game changes.”
Kang’s position as an infielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates has been unaffected by the investigation the Chicago Tribune revealed on Wednesday. Kang, 29, made a base hit on Wednesday and was included in the starting roster on Thursday.
A spokesman for the Pittsburgh Pirates said the club takes the case “extremely seriously,” adding that the matter is “exclusively before the Commissioner's Office at this time.” The club has refused to elaborate further.
Experts said even if Kang is not convicted on criminal charges, he could face disciplinary action. Last year, Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) announced an agreement on a policy on domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse. With the agreement, the MLB Commissioner's Office may discipline a player even if no charges are filed. Since the agreement was made, three players ― Jose Reyes (51 games), Hector Olivera (82 games) and Aroldis Chapman (30 games) ― have been suspended.