Pirates' Kang Jung-ho investigated for sexual assault claim
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Pittsburgh Pirates’ Kang Jung-ho singles during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday, in St. Louis. / AP-Yonhap
By Baek Byung-yeul
Kang Jung-ho of the Pittsburgh Pirates is being investigated about an allegation by a 23-year-old woman of sexual assault, Chicago Tribune said.
The U.S. newspaper reported, Tuesday (local time), that the Chicago police confirmed they are investigating allegations that the Korean third baseman sexually assaulted a 23-year-old woman in his hotel room in Chicago on June 17 when his team played the Chicago Cubs.
The police said the Chicago woman met Kang through the dating app Bumble and he invited the woman to his hotel room in Chicago, hours after the Pirates lost the game to the Cubs.
The woman told police that she arrived at Kang’s room around 10 p.m. and he served her an alcoholic drink, adding she blacked out about 15 to 20 minutes later then drifted in and out of consciousness as he sexually assaulted her.
The police said she did not fully awaken until she was in a taxi and on her way home. After going to a local hospital to have a rape kit exam performed on June 19, she filed a formal complaint with police 10 days later.
Kang has not been charged. Kang and his agent Alan Nero declined to comment.
Despite the controversy, Kang played in a game against the St. Louis Cardinals Tuesday night and hit a single off the bench in the top of the ninth.
In response to the investigation, the Pirates said Tuesday they were aware of the case. “We have been made aware of the allegation that has been made against Kang Jung-ho,” Pirates President Frank Connelly said in a statement. “We take allegations of this type extremely seriously. Pursuant to the Joint MLB/MLBPA Policy on such matters, this matter is exclusively before the Commissioner’s Office at this time. We have and will continue to cooperate fully with the Commissioner’s Office.”
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 joint policy regarding 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) ― were suspended under the policy.