NC’s first team coaches had a fistfight at a drinking party. NC coach Lee Dong-wook bowed his head saying “I’m sorry” ahead of Daegu Samsung on the 3rd. IS photo
NC Dinos’ defense coach Han Kyu-sik (46) and Yong Deok-han (41) battery coach were arrested by the police on the morning of the 3rd for a fistfight while drinking alcohol in some place in Daegu.
The NC team, including the coaching staff, had arrived in Daegu on the 2nd as three consecutive away games were scheduled for the 3rd and 5th with the Samsung Lions. According to the club, four coaches started drinking on the evening of the 2nd, and two coaches returned to the dormitory at 2 am on the 3rd. The club decided to terminate the contract and leave coach Han Gyu-sik, who assaulted him, and excluded coach Yong-deok Han from work.
NC general manager Im Seon-nam said in a phone call with Ilgan Sports, “We have reported the matter to the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) Clean Baseball Center. (Both coaches) are being investigated by the police.” A KBO official said, “I asked the club to issue a report on the incident. Whether to hold a reward and punishment committee will have to be judged by looking at the report.”
Discipline at the KBO level can be expected. At the inauguration ceremony in March, the new KBO president Huh Gu-yeon said, “Isn’t professional baseball not keeping up with the (people’s) level of consciousness? So, unfortunate incidents happen and (fans) are disappointed. I think it might be necessary,” he said firmly.
Criticism towards the club is growing louder. If you forget, alcohol-related incidents and accidents happen. In September 2016, NC foreign batter Eric Thames was caught driving under the influence of alcohol during the season, causing controversy. At that time, the club was known to have sent Thames to the game even though it was aware of this fact, and ripples spread.
Last season, NCs Park Seok-Min, Park Min-Woo, Kwon Hee-Dong, and Lee Myung-Ki violated quarantine guidelines during the season and had a drinking party with an ordinary woman at an expedition dormitory and were suspended from participation by the KBO and the club. Except for Park Min-woo, the three players were also sent to the prosecution (accusations of violating the Infectious Disease Prevention Act). Park Min-woo, Kwon Hee-dong, and Lee Myung-gi were scheduled to return to the first team on the 4th, but coincidentally, there was an assault at a coach drinking party.
The NC club said, “We plan to take decisive action according to the results of the investigation in the future, and we will disclose this in a transparent manner. We deeply apologize to baseball fans and officials for the social scandal of our coach.” “I bow my head and apologize for the things I failed to do. I will use this as an opportunity to revive the spirit of sports and restore the trust of the fans.”
NC excluded coach Han Gyu-sik and coach Yong-deok-han from the entry for the first team, and played the Samsung game on the 3rd without a coach to replace them in the second team. Before the game, NC coach Lee Dong-wook said, “I should greet you with a good thing… I want to express my apologies to the KBO League members and fans for the incident of violence by the coaching staff. I think it’s wrong.” He bowed his head.
Daegu = Reporter Bae Joong-hyun bae.junghyune@joongang.co.kr
