FIFA president Sepp Blatter yesterday demanded answers from North Korea after reports that its World Cup squad was publicly humiliated and coach Kim Jong-hun sentenced to hard labor.
World soccer’s governing body this week opened an investigation and sent a letter to North Korean soccer authorities.
It followed new, unspecified evidence brought to its attention by Chung Mong-joon, the powerful South Korean former chairman of Hyundai, who is also the president of the South Korean Football Association.
PHOTO: EPA
“We sent a letter to the football federation to tell us about their election of a new president and to find out if the allegations made by the media that the coach and some players were condemned and punished are true,” Blatter said.
“We are doing this as a first step and we will see how they answer, but it is not easy,” said the Swiss, who is in Singapore for the Youth Olympic Games.
“We once had a case in another country where it was said players were also condemned and under physical pressure and we sent someone and it turned out not to be true,” he said. “So let’s see what we hear before we make an official statement.”
North Korea bowed out of their first World Cup finals since 1966 after an impressive performance during a 2-1 defeat to Brazil in South Africa before being routed 7-0 by Portugal and 3-0 by Ivory Coast.
The showing of live games in the impoverished communist state had been banned to avoid national embarrassment, but after the Brazil game state television made the Portugal match its first live sports broadcast ever.
They could not have picked a worse game, with the hail of goals from the European side leaving the commentator speechless.
According to Radio Free Asia, on their return home team members were made to stand on a stage at the People’s Palace of Culture in Pyongyang and were subjected to “ideological criticism” for six hours.
Citing sources in the country, it said around 400 officials including North Korean Sports Minister Pak Myong-chol, other athletes and sports students were among the audience.
The players were apparently forced to criticize coach Kim, who was punished for “betraying” Kim Jong-un — one of supreme leader Kim Jong-il’s sons and his heir apparent.
The coach was reportedly expelled from the Workers’ Party of Korea and sentenced to hard labor on a building site.
After letting another big lead slip with an error-strewn performance at the French Open on Wednesday, top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka felt like getting as far away from the courts as possible. “Just want to quit tennis right now,” Sabalenka said after wasting a lead of a set and two breaks in a 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 loss to Diana Shnaider in the women’s singles quarter-finals. “We’ll see in few days. Hopefully I’ll get back on track mentally.” Sabalenka’s wait for a first French Open title continues despite the four-time major winner leading 4-1 in the second set and being two points from victory while
BIG NAMES GONE: Zverev is the clear favorite for a maiden Grand Slam title, reaching semi-finals for the fifth time in six years and finishing second on three occasions Alexander Zverev on Tuesday breezed past Rafael Jodar to stay on course for an elusive Grand Slam title at the French Open, while Jakub Mensik halted Joao Fonseca’s scintillating run in the quarter-finals. Zverev, the highest-ranked player left in the men’s draw, put an end to Spanish teenager Jodar’s impressive Roland Garros debut, easing into the semi-finals with a 7-6, (7/3), 6-1, 6-3 win. The 29-year-old Zverev is the clear favorite for a maiden Grand Slam title. He has finished runner-up on three occasions, including at the 2024 French Open. “I want to win the matches that are ahead of
Liverpool are in advanced talks with former AFC Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola as they seek a replacement for Arne Slot, reports said on Tuesday. Iraola has emerged as Liverpool’s top target to replace Slot, who was sacked on Saturday last week after a turbulent second season in charge. Liverpool have reportedly agreed a deal in principle to bring the Spaniard, who left Bournemouth at the end of this season, to Anfield. Sporting director Richard Hughes was heavily involved in hiring Iraola during his time at Bournemouth and is again spearheading the recruitment of the highly rated coach. The Reds are
KNICKS TAKE LEAD: San Antonio put on a 9-0 run to be up 95-94 with just over 2 minutes to play, but the rest of the game belonged to the New York Knicks It was past five minutes through the third quarter of Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday and the New York Knicks’ 11-game winning streak was in major jeopardy. The Knicks missed nine of their first 10 shots in the early part of the period and trailed the San Antonio Spurs by 14 points. They were floundering. Then something crazy happened. The Knicks found new life from an unlikely source: The Spurs. New York rallied to tie the game by the end of the period, gave up the lead briefly late in the fourth quarter, and pulled away late for a 105-95
RSS