Group Brawl Among National Sepak Takraw Team Participants at World Championship in Thailand

National Sepak Takraw players who participated in an international competition in Thailand have recently been reported to have engaged in a group brawl while intoxicated, sparking controversy.

This incident is being assessed as a serious situation that tarnishes the image of Korean sports on the international stage.

According to explanations from Sepak Takraw and sports association officials on the 20th, four national team players who competed in the Sepak Takraw World Championship (Kings Cup), held on the 26th of last month in Thailand, got into a fight after drinking alcohol outside following the match. The players involved are confirmed to belong to the Busan Environment Corporation, Goyang City Hall, Cheongju City Hall, and Daegu Metropolitan City Hall.

The players involved in this incident are confirmed to belong to the Busan Environment Corporation, Goyang City Hall, Cheongju City Hall, and Daegu Metropolitan City Hall.

Details of the Incident and Ongoing Investigation

Looking into the sequence of events, these players reportedly had drinks at the initial dinner, continued drinking at their accommodation, and then went out to purchase more alcohol at a nearby store, where an argument began and eventually escalated into violence.

Despite the presence of the national team’s head coach, other coaches, and all operational staff at the scene, this situation could not be prevented in advance.

As of now, it remains unclear whether this incident was simply a mutual assault among players or if it involved hierarchical violence between senior and junior players.

The Korea Sepak Takraw Association received incident reports from the involved players on the 2nd but has not yet made the content public or decided on any disciplinary actions.

A sports community official strongly criticized the situation, stating, "If such an incident occurs at an international competition, it tarnishes the face of the Republic of Korea and is a source of international embarrassment."

This official also asserted that it is necessary to ascertain whether there were any preventative efforts by the coaches and to understand the exact causes among the players to implement disciplinary measures.

In response, an official from the Korea Sepak Takraw Association stated, "We are verifying the facts and taking temporary measures according to association regulations and procedures," adding that they will consider disciplinary actions after an investigation by the Sports Fairness Committee.

Attention is now focused on the results of the association’s investigation and the level of disciplinary actions to be taken.

Image source: Provided by the Korea Sepak Takraw Association, illustrative material for understanding the article / gettyimagesbank