In addition to Shim, female athletes in judo, taekwondo and wrestling have also accused their male coaches of sexually abusing them. Sohn called for an investigation into former national team coach Jeon Myeong-gyu, who is somewhat of a godfather figure in South Korean skating. Experts say abusive treatment of female athletes has long been a problem in South Korean elite sports, which are often run by men. South Korea has associated Olympic achievements with national pride and the problems regarding training cultures have often been overlooked as long as the athletes produce. Shim’s claims have encouraged other female athletes to speak up about the alleged abuse they suffered from their male coaches.

Source: Washington Post January 21, 2019 03:30 UTC