The Korea Herald

소아쌤

Banned Korean wrestling coach permitted back in seat

By KH디지털2

Published : Aug. 17, 2016 - 10:20

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 A ban on two South Korean Greco-Roman wrestling coaches was partially  lifted on Tuesday, allowing one of them to take his usual seat by the mat for competitions.

Coach An Han-bong (Park Hae-mook/The Korea Herald) Coach An Han-bong (Park Hae-mook/The Korea Herald)


Coach Park Chi-ho (Park Hae-mook/The Korea Herald) Coach Park Chi-ho (Park Hae-mook/The Korea Herald)

Head coach An Han-bong and his assistant Park Chi-ho were sanctioned on Sunday for going up on the mat in protest of a call during a round-of-16 match between South Korean Kim Hyeon-woo and Roman Vlasov of Russia in the men's 75kg. The South Korean coaches argued Kim should have been awarded four points for a throw instead of the two that the referee gave him.

The South Koreans initially took steps to appeal the ruling, but later decided against it after reviewing the match with the president of the jury. Subsequently, An and Park were banned from taking the coach's seat for the rest of the Olympics.

The United World Wrestling (UWW), however, partially upheld the South Koreans' appeal for a reinstatement, and will allow An to be present during upcoming Greco-Roman matches.

Kim, the 2012 gold medalist in the 66kg, went through repechage to win bronze. Freestyle head coach Park Jang-soon sat by the mat in Kim's later matches Sunday. (Yonhap)