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Korean football addresses suspicions of paying for referees' services

Korean football addresses suspicions of paying for referees' services

The Korea Football Association faces allegations that in 2011–2012 it arranged visits to massage parlors with erotic services for foreign referees. According to published information, this was said to have happened before at least seven international matches, including qualifying matches for the 2014 World Cup and the London Olympic tournament. sport.sk ↗

Among the matches mentioned is also the qualifying match between the Republic of Korea and Kuwait. The referees reportedly came from several countries, including Japan, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Bahrain, and Uzbekistan. The suspicions are based on payment card records and documents from a 2016 government audit. teraz.sk ↗

The case comes at a time of broader pressure on the leadership of Korean football. On Thursday, police raided the association's headquarters and seized materials as part of an investigation into the controversial appointment of coach Hong Myung-bo. His arrival on the national team's bench had already drawn criticism earlier over questions surrounding the selection process.

If the suspicions are confirmed, they could deal a further blow to the association's credibility. It remains an open question whether the case will also lead to sporting sanctions, since statute of limitations rules under FIFA's ethics code may play a role for the older events.

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Location: Bahrain
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Location: United Arab Emirates
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Location: Uzbekistan
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