Referee Bae Seon-yeong's 'Girls' Day' Abuse Editorial Before Apologizing, Cancel Ji So-yeon's Yellow Card First
A player who protested sexual harassment remarks was unable to play in the match, while the referee accused of making the remarks disappeared behind "educational promises." This is the current state of the referee sexual harassment scandal that erupted at the WK League Suwon FC Women versus Seoul City Hall match held at Suwon Sports Complex on the 28th. Ji So-yeon testified specifically that she heard the referee say over wireless communication, "You must be menstruating," referring to her, and as a result of accumulated yellow cards received during her protest, she cannot play in the match scheduled for the 2nd of next month. Correcting this outrageous situation where only the victim bears the disadvantage should be the starting point for all remedial measures.
The order matters. What the Korea Football Association and the Korea Women's Football Association must do first right now is not a vague expression of regret or a promise of re-education. They must cancel or suspend the yellow card that Ji So-yeon received during her protest that day, preventing her unjust absence from the match first. If the yellow card in question resulted from justified protest against sexual harassment remarks, then the match suspension based on that yellow card is no different from secondary victimization by imposing discipline on the victim. While investigations take time, the match suspension has a deadline of the 2nd of next month. If authorities drag out time using the investigation as an excuse and only execute the discipline, the association will ultimately bear responsibility for neglecting harm to the victim.
The association's response thus far has not inspired confidence. The association's referee team declared the innocence of its referee before even reviewing the supervisor's report, stating that "the word 'menstruation' was not used." However, this clarification was soon revealed to be wordplay. Through subsequent reporting, it was confirmed that the actual expression the referee used at the time was the slang term for menstruation, 'Girls' Day.' The association hid behind the phrase 'that word was not used' despite merely using slang instead of the word—the intent of the remark unchanged. When compounded with self-contradiction in the same document, stating "unnecessary words and actions are wrong conduct" and promising to prevent recurrence, this is closer to a cover-up attempt than clarification. If such an organization hides behind the phrase "under investigation" and merely watches the execution of the yellow card discipline, that cannot be called a fair procedure.
The excuse that there are no regulations is not valid. Post-facto remedies for missed calls and improper judgment management are basic to sports administration, and suspension of disciplinary procedures and reconsideration are entirely possible through the decisions of the association and league. What is needed is not a system but will. Since wireless communication is an official channel heard by all referees, the truth can be ascertained without difficulty by comparing communication records with referee statements. There is no reason to delay suspending the referee's match assignments until investigation results are released or to publicly disclose those results transparently. Now that Suwon FC has decided to formally request an investigation into the facts from the association and league based on its team's verification statement, the ball has completely passed to the association.
Korean women's football has come this far through the dedication of players including Ji So-yeon. The association cannot speak of expanding the foundation and future of women's football while allowing the sight of that marquee player leaving the pitch because she protested sexual harassment. This is not a matter to be settled with one apology statement. Canceling the yellow card comes first. That is the minimum beginning for the association to restore its shattered trust.