By David Gold
August 16 – The South Korean player who unfurled a controversial sign supporting the country’s claim to sovereignty over the disputed Dokdo islands will continue to be exempt from military service despite being barred from collecting his Olympic bronze medal.
Park Jong-Woo (pictured above and below) displayed the sign after his team had beaten Japan, which also claims sovereignty of the islands, to win the men’s London 2012 Olympic football bronze medal.
The islands are uninhabited but have rich gas reserves and lie between the two countries.
He was subsequently prevented from either attending the medal ceremony or receiving his own bronze medal.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has asked FIFA, which organises and manages the Olympic football tournaments, to discipline the player.
Both FIFA and the IOC take a very dim view of bringing politics into sport, hence the investigation into his actions.
FIFA have duly charged the player, but the South Korean Olympic Committee has stressed the move was not pre-planned and that the player had taken the sign from a supporter.
Japan withdrew its ambassador from Seoul, the South Korean capital, as a result.
South Korea’s football team are exempt from the country’s mandatory two-year military service for able bodied men because they won an Olympic medal.
The country’s Sports Minister Choe Kwang-Shik has confirmed that the player’s exemption from military service would stand, insisting it was a Government issue and that he was likely to be treated positively.
Speaking to TV Chosun, Kwang-Shik said: “Our military law…says those who win third place or above at the Olympic Games will be exempted from the service, and it never mentions an actual medal.
“He won the third place in Olympics football…as part of a team.”
South Korea’s politicians have defended Park since the diplomatic row and IOC probe began.
One lawmaker even suggested a special law be enacted to get compensation for the player if he does not receive his medal.
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