South Korean triathlete kills herself after ‘abuse’ from coaching staff

South Korean triathlete killed her own life after lodging several complaints about alleged abuse from her coaching staff.

The young triathlete Choi Suk-Hyeon, 22, had said that she had been facing abuse for years. The report said that her complaint to sporting authorities was ignored. She has reportedly killed herself last week.

She was selected for the national triathlon team in 2015 as a teenager.

YTN TV released audiotapes that appeared to corroborate allegations by her parents. The triathlete had been subject to beatings, verbal abuse, and harassment by members of the coaching staff.

In an audiotape, a male was heard saying, “You! Come here. Clamp your jaws together,” then a sound of the slap was heard.

Also Read

Novak Djokovic recovers from the novel coronavirus

Serbian Tennis Star Novak Djokovic and his wife Jelena have now tested negative...

According to the report, Choi kept a journal in which she wrote how she “shed tears every day” and would “rather die” after repeatedly being “beaten like a dog”.

Choi had complained to the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee (KSOC) – South Korea’s governing body for sports, in April. She asked the authority to probe the matter.

An acquaintance reported to Yonhap news agency that Choi “sought help from many public institutions, but everyone ignored her pleas”.

On the other hand, The KSOC denied that it had neglected her complaint. It said in a press release that a female investigator had been assigned after receiving her complaint in early April.

“The committee finds it very regrettable that such an incident happened again even as we have been making efforts to prevent violence and sexual assaults and to protect athletes’ human rights”, it said.

The Korea Triathlon Federation pledged to take action against the alleged abusers.