| IBK Industrial Bank of Korea Manager Seo Nam-won and general manager Yoon Jae-seop were sacked due to the team setters and coaches leaving the team without permission, and while acting coach Kim Sa-ni took part in the Dodram 2021-2022 V League Heungkuk Life Team held at the Samsan World Gymnasium in Bupyeong-gu, Incheon on the afternoon of the 23rd. Watching the players warming up before the match. 2021.11.23/News 1 © News1 Reporter Park Jeong-ho |
The ripples related to the departure of players and manager sacking of IBK Industrial Bank of Korea in women’s professional volleyball are not easily subsided. Field officials are sighing that the bare face of women’s volleyball, which looked gorgeous on the outside but was scorched inside, is being revealed.
IBK’s setter Jo Song-hwa recently left the team after unilaterally notifying the club and caused a stir. In the process, coach Kim Sani, who was the setter coach, also left the team after announcing his resignation to the club, but with the club’s persuasion, he returned to the team on the 19th.
The problem has since grown out of control when the club asked manager Seo Nam-won to take responsibility for the internal redness caused by Jo Song-hwa’s departure and announced that he was fired as the head coach and general manager at the same time.
A volleyball official shook his head, saying, “There are quarrels with any team. But in such a situation, I can’t understand the decision of IBK Industrial Bank of Korea to take the side of the players rather than the coach.”
Another official also raised his voice, saying, “It is difficult to accept the return of the coach who left after protesting against the coach, but he even gave him the authority to act as the manager. I wonder if this is possible with common sense.”
◇ IBK’s handshake, who chose the worst… To the truth battlefield?
IBK Industrial Bank of Korea appointed coach Sani Kim, who had left the team after sacking manager Seo, as acting manager, and played against Heungkuk Life Insurance in Incheon (3-0 win) on the 23rd.
At a press conference in advance of the day, Kim Sani said, “During the training process, there was a friction between coach Seo Nam-won and Jo Song-hwa. In the presence of all the players and staff, he got angry and told me to take responsibility. There were insults and abusive language.” years have raised controversy.
Furthermore, veteran players who appeared in the post-match interview also gave sympathetic comments to acting Kim, giving him strength. Kim Su-ji said, “There was abusive language. It was a very uncomfortable place for us to feel.”
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| Seo Nam-won, former director of IBK Industrial Bank. (Provided by Korea Volleyball Federation) © News 1 |
However, in a phone call with News 1, director Seo Nam-won emphasized that there was no verbal abuse. He said, “Songhwa did not respond during training, so I spoke strongly about it, but there was no swearing or abusive language.” He rebuked Acting Kim, who was the setter coach, but repeatedly emphasized that he did not use abusive language or abusive language.
The truth is that a battle has taken place, but it is also a problem that a conclusion is unlikely to be reached easily. Manager Seo Nam-won has already been sacked and has left the team.
Although it is unclear what conclusions will be drawn from within, the club and acting manager are being criticized by fans for their irresponsible attitude of shifting all responsibility to the departed leader.
◇ Cho Song-hwa, who refused to be terminated voluntarily, also had difficulties in appointing a new IBK commander.
IBK Industrial Bank’s unconventional handling of business has also been criticized. He applied to the Korea Volleyball Federation (KOVO) for a voluntary termination (formerly voluntary withdrawal), which is possible only with the player’s written consent, but was rejected due to insufficient documentation.
According to an IBK official, Songhwa Jo initially agreed to voluntarily terminate the contract, but since then she has changed her mind and is refusing to write a written contract.
An IBK official said, “Since I continue to refuse voluntary termination, I will follow the procedures in accordance with the regulations.” As the club has confirmed that it cannot go with Song-hwa Jo, who caused the problem, it is also considering canceling the contract.
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| IBK Industrial Bank setter Jo Song-hwa. (Provided by Korea Volleyball Federation) © News 1 |
If the contract is terminated, Song-Hwa Cho becomes a free player (retired). Even if this happens, there is a possibility of a legal dispute over the payment of the remaining salary. Jo Song-hwa signed a free agent contract ahead of the 2020-21 season, and is under contract until the 2022-23 season.
It is actually not easy for IBK to find a new head, which is experiencing internal and external turmoil. There were rumors circulating that there was already a designated control tower, but IBK denied it.
A club official said, “It is true that we need to appoint a new manager quickly, but it is not easy because it is in the middle of the season. It feels like heading on the ground. It is for that reason that coach Sani Kim became acting manager. There is a clear reason attributable to the fact that he left the team, but the club It was an inevitable choice because it was difficult to find a leader who could lead the team.”
Summing up the words of the club, it seems highly likely that IBK will go to Kim’s acting system for the time being.
◇ A crisis in the whole of professional volleyball, not women’s volleyball
Women’s volleyball impressed the people a lot through the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but the IBK IBK incident is cooling down the ‘fan heart’.
The biggest problem is that it doesn’t seem like there’s much room for this situation to be easily sealed.
For example, a question mark is raised whether IBK Industrial Bank of Korea, which has already appointed Sani Kim, will bring in a new manager and release acting Kim, or if Songhwa, which caused trouble, can abruptly terminate the contract.
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| Sangi Kim, acting supervisory manager of IBK, gives instructions for operation during the match between Heungkuk Life Insurance and IBK in the Dodram 2021-2022 V League held at Samsan World Gymnasium in Bupyeong-gu, Incheon on the afternoon of the 23rd. 2021.11.23/News 1 © News1 Reporter Park Jeong-ho |
Acting Kim said, “I will resign when a new manager arrives.” The club further explained, “Resigning means resigning as manager, not leaving the team.” It continues to ignite controversy.
There are also voices that this situation is a crisis not just for women’s volleyball, but for the entire professional volleyball team.
A club official said, “The bubble that had been hidden in the sudden rise in popularity was lifted, revealing a shameful bare face. It could adversely affect the entire professional volleyball team, not women’s volleyball.”
Another official said, “It is unfortunate that this situation is happening.” “The V-League, which has just started to show off, may go through a recession again. We need to put our heads together so that the same thing does not happen again.”
alexei@news1.kr
