Son Woong-jun, the father of Tottenham star Son Heung-min, has been found guilty of violating child welfare laws. The charges stem from allegations that he physically and verbally abused young players at his football academy in South Korea.
Woong-jun was one of three coaches indicted on charges in August following accusations of abuse at the Son Football Academy. The trio have now been found guilty by a South Korean court and ordered to pay a fine of 3 million won (£1,683). In addition to the monetary penalty, they are required to complete 40 hours of child abuse treatment programs.
Despite denying any wrongdoing initially, Woong-jun issued an apology where he pledged to review the coaching methods at his academy.
Allegations and Evidence
The allegations were first investigated in March after a parent raised concerns about their son's treatment at the academy. They claimed their son had sustained injuries requiring two weeks' treatment after being struck with a corner flag by Heung-yun during a training camp in Okinawa, Japan.
Further accusations included Woong-jung hurling profanities at players for making mistakes during training sessions. Video footage reportedly showed him kicking a player during a match while other coaches swore at children.
Woong-jung admitted hitting a student with a corner flag for 'coming last in a race', but denied it amounted to physical abuse. Instead, he described it as 'a mutually agreed event as part of fitness training'.
Impact on Son Football Academy
The Son Football Academy is well-known for its facilities which include six pitches, classrooms and clubhouses costing around £11 million according to The Athletic. It is also credited with developing Tottenham captain Son Heung-min when he was younger. This incident could potentially tarnish its reputation given that it involves high-profile figures like Son Heung-min's father.
Son Heung-min, the Tottenham forward, has missed his side’s last three games due to injury but is expected to return after the international break. Despite this setback in his personal life, fans are hopeful that he will continue to perform at a high level on the pitch.
This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of child welfare in sports academies and highlights the need for stringent measures to prevent such incidents from occurring. It also underscores how off-field issues can impact not just individuals involved but also their families and associated institutions.
