During the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) held in March, three pitchers from the national team who caused a drinking controversy escaped heavy punishment.메이저사이트
Kim Kwang-hyeon (SSG), Lee Yong-chan (NC), and Jeong Cheol-won (Doosan) were found drinking at a pub until dawn during the WBC period in March through a YouTube channel revelation on the 30th of last month. At the tournament, when Korea failed to even advance to the second round after finishing third in Group B, the players’ drinking controversy caused a big stir.
The KBO, which started to find out the facts, received a report and fact confirmation against the 9 clubs that selected players for the national team. The three players who were hidden from anonymity revealed their names with a public apology on the 1st of this month. Subsequently, Kim Gwang-hyun was canceled from the first team entry on the 1st, and Jeong Cheol-won and Lee Yong-chan were investigated face-to-face by the KBO on the 2nd.
KBO, which opened a reward and punishment committee on the 7th, after discussion, based on Article 151 of the KBO Rules, ‘Damaging Dignity,’ Kim Gwang-hyun, who visited an entertainment bar twice during the tournament and damaged the dignity of the national team, received 80 hours of community service and 5 million won in fines, It was decided to punish Lee Yong-chan and Jeong Cheol-won, who entered the entertainment bar once, with 40 hours of community service and a penalty of 3 million won, respectively.
For a thorough investigation, KBO confirmed the date and time of access, payment, and the presence of employees over the phone to the manager of the Tokyo entertainment bar. Players also submitted credit card statements to avoid being victimized by fake news such as ‘drinking until late in the morning’ and ‘playing before the match against Japan’. The players actively clamored for themselves by giving not only the pub card statement, but also the card statement they wrote at the convenience store the day before the Korea-Japan match.
The players all attended the reward and punishment committee that day, apologized once again, and made an accurate call. The KBO initially had a policy of not willingly accepting strong disciplinary measures, such as suspension from the regular season, but unlike the first known players, there was nothing to actively disciplinary action, so community service and sanctions were imposed.
It can be seen as a minor punishment, but it has already dealt a blow to the name value of Kim Gwang-hyun, Lee Yong-chan, and Jeong Cheol-won. Kim Gwang-hyeon disgraced the Taegeuk mark, which he had worn for 15 years from the 2008 Beijing Olympics to this WBC. Lee Yong-chan also lost his image as a veteran. Jeong Cheol-won, who won the Rookie of the Year award last year and is now trying to open the second page of his career, will not be able to recover his image in the future.
All three players are currently out of the first team. Kim Gwang-hyun volunteered to join the team and went into self-reflection, and NC canceled it after deciding that Lee Yong-chan would not be able to properly throw his ball from the mound. Doosan also excluded Jung Cheol-won from the first team under the decision that he needed time for self-reflection. Kim Gwang-hyeon last pitched on the 20th of last month, Lee Yong-chan on the 30th of last month, and Jeong Cheol-won on the 25th of last month. After that, I waited for the KBO investigation to end without a futures mound.
The only thing left for the three players who escaped the heavy punishment of suspension is the time to return. In principle, Kim Gwang-hyun can return on the 11th, 10 days after the cancellation, and Lee Yong-chan and Jeong Cheol-won can each return on the 12th, but the important thing is whether the three players have enough physical and mental energy.
On the 7th, SSG coach Kim Won-hyung said, “Kim Gwang-hyun continued to train individually. Still, I think we need to check Kim Gwang-hyun’s physical condition and psychological condition. Running the game is the next problem.”
On the 2nd, NC coach Kang In-kwon canceled Lee Yong-chan and said, “The important thing is whether Lee Yong-chan can smoothly show himself on the mound.” Director Kang is also expected to call him up when he is judged to have regained his mentality after shaking off the guilt and pressure of public opinion.
If they return to the first team, they will inevitably be tagged with a ‘drinking controversy’ for the time being. Even if you throw well or not, the incident from 3 months ago will continue to hold you back. Since all three players are in sensitive pitching positions, how quickly they shake off the burden on themselves determines when they return to the first team.