Korean Football Association Accused of Providing Sexual Entertainment to 20 Foreign Officials

The Korean Football Association (KFA) faces a major scandal following revelations that it allegedly provided sexual entertainment to foreign referees and match officials. A 2016 investigation, recently brought to light by media outlet JTBC, uncovered evidence of the KFA providing inappropriate services to 20 individuals from countries including Japan, the UAE, Iran, Bahrain, and Uzbekistan during seven national team matches between March 2011 and March 2012.

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It's a complete disgrace to our country, and it needs to be thoroughly rectified from the root.

According to the investigation, which utilized KFA credit card records and witness testimonies, these alleged incidents occurred at establishments in Seoul, Changwon, and Ulsan. Payments, sometimes reaching up to 1 million Korean won per instance, were reportedly made using company credit cards. The matches in question included friendlies and qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup and 2012 Olympics, during which the South Korean team achieved a perfect record of five wins and two draws.

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It felt like it was a routine thing back then.

Public reaction has been overwhelmingly negative, with citizens expressing shame and calling for a fundamental overhaul of the sports system. Some former KFA officials involved in the referee department have claimed that such entertainment was a "common practice" at the time, with referees sometimes requesting "massages." They suggested that staff felt pressured to comply to ensure favorable officiating, fearing that otherwise, decisions might not favor South Korea.

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We worried that if we didn't do this, the referees might not make favorable calls for Korea.

The 2016 investigation's findings were not publicly disclosed until JTBC obtained the documents. The KFA has stated that the relevant documents are beyond their retention period, making detailed verification difficult. They claim to have since implemented strict management systems for corporate card usage, prohibiting expenses at entertainment or adult venues. However, former employees have questioned the timing of the revelations, noting that prosecutors had previously decided not to pursue the matter.

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The relevant documents are beyond their retention period, making it difficult to verify the details.