February 13 – Park Jong-woo, the South Korean Olympic team footballer, will be able to receive his Bronze medal from the 2012 Olympic Games after an International Olympic Committee Disciplinary Commission ruled in his favour.
Park waved a banner saying ‘Dokdo is our territory’ referring to a territorial dispute between South Korea and Japan while celebrating his team’s 2-0 win over Japan in the Olympic bronze medal match at Wembley Stadium in August.
The Olympic charter bans political protests and Park had his medal withheld.
In his defence Park said he had been given the banner by a fan after the match ended.
The IOC ruled that it was not a planned political protest and that Park can receive his medal ‘without fanfare or publicity’.
The South Korean Olympic Committee were also told they must introduce an education programme for their athletes to ensure this does not happen again.
FIFA had already placed sanctions on Park with a two-match ban and a SFR3,500 ($3,800) fine last December.
“It was obvious he didn’t make a political statement,” said IOC Disciplinary Commission chairman Thomas Bach.
“He was very fair with a Japan player who was sitting on the ground weeping after the match.
“You can see from this gesture he had nothing against Japanese people,”
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