Expulsion of Olympic judo star confirmed after statutory rape charge

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

National

Tue, September 26, 2023 | 11:12

Law & Crime

Expulsion of Olympic judo star confirmed after statutory rape charge

Posted : 2020-05-21 13:38

Updated : 2020-05-31 17:11

Wang Ki-chun / Korea Times file

By Jung Min-ho

The Korea Judo Association (KJA) confirmed Wednesday that it had expelled Olympic star Wang Ki-chun over a statutory rape charge brought against him.

According to the governing body of the sport, Wang, 31, who has been indicted on a charge of sexually assaulting a teenage girl, did not file an appeal against its decision to ban him for life from the KIA by the deadline to do so.

The KIA's disciplinary committee unanimously decided on the penalty May 13 over his alleged conduct that undermined "the integrity and social standing of judo." He had seven days to lodge an appeal.

He has also been stripped of his black belt.

Wang, who started judo in 1995, rose to stardom after winning a gold medal in the under-73kg division at the 2007 World Judo Championship in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The next year ― despite a ribcage fracture ― he surprised the world by winning silver at the Beijing Olympics.