◀ anchor ▶
The national handball player, who won a bronze medal at the Asian Games three years ago, injured his leg at the army training center and was in a situation where he would never be able to exercise again.
The players and their families claim that there was not even enough disinfectant in the training center medical center, even though the surgical site was getting necrotic.
Reporter Shin-Young Hong reported.
◀ Report ▶
“Republic of Korea!”
2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games.
The men’s handball team beat Japan’s relentless pursuit and won the bronze medal.
Bronze medalist, 24-year-old Jae-Wan Jung, who scored a reversal goal.
Now, three years have passed, she is dependent on a wheelchair with a device to drain rotten blood.
Jung, who enlisted at the Nonsan Training Center in May, ruptured his left Achilles tendon and ligament while exercising with fellow athletes who enlisted together.
[정재완/핸드볼 선수]
“(At the training center) I gave them time to exercise. I was in good shape and there was nothing wrong…”
He was immediately transferred to an outside hospital, underwent surgery, and returned to the training center three weeks later.
However, while receiving treatment at the training camp medical battalion, the surgical site deteriorated rapidly.
After leaving the training camp last week and being assigned to the Sangmudae, I was able to go to an outside hospital, but the condition was so serious that I had to be transferred to Seoul immediately.
[정재완 선수 아버지]
“I couldn’t even imagine that my flesh was rotting… I’m not really upset…”
I had a major surgery over 3 hours yesterday, and I need to have several more surgeries.
[정재완/핸드볼 선수]
“When I opened it, (necrosis) was serious, and I was trying to cut (ligaments) further, so it’s hard to be hospitalized like this right now…”
Jung and his family claim that the army forced him to return quickly and that there was not enough disinfectant.
[정재완/핸드볼 선수]
“There are times when there were no disinfectant supplies (at the training center) for about two days. But when I just opened it (the wound site), a lot of pus came out and there was a lot of it.”
The Army Training Center did not force him to return to the training camp, but only explained the vacation rules, and explained that Jung asked for saline and paid it twice.
It was not clear whether there was a shortage of disinfectant at the training camp.
[정재완/핸드볼 선수]
“It’s the saddest thing I can’t exercise. And again, it’s the Olympic season, and I’m really envious of the athletes who are competing in the Olympics. It’s true that I almost never make a comeback…”
This is Shin-Young Hong from MBC News.
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(Video coverage: Jang Young-geun / Video editing: Jung So-min)
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