Referee Bae Seon-young's 'Girls Day' Vulgar Remarks Editorial Before an Apology, Cancel Ji So-yeon's Yellow Card First
A player who protested sexual harassment remarks was barred from the match, while the referee cited in the remarks disappeared behind a promise of "training." This is the current state of the referee sexual harassment controversy that erupted during the WK League Suwon FC Women-Seoul City Hall match held at Suwon Sports Complex on the 28th. Ji So-yeon testified specifically that she heard the referee say "you must be on your period" in radio communication directed at her, and as a result of accumulated yellow cards received during her protest, she will be unable to play in the match on the 2nd of next month. Correcting this outrageous situation, where only the victim bears the disadvantage, must be the starting point for all remedies.
The order matters. What the Korea Football Association and the Korean Women's Football Association must do first right now is neither vague expressions of regret nor promises of preventive training. They must cancel or suspend the yellow card Ji So-yeon received during her protest that day, thereby preventing an unjustified absence from play. If the warning in question came during a justified protest against sexual harassment remarks, then suspension from play based on that warning is no different from a secondary victimization imposing discipline on the victim. While the investigation takes time, the suspension has a deadline of the 2nd of next month. If the Association drags things out under the guise of an investigation while only the disciplinary action is carried out, the Association will ultimately bear responsibility for allowing harm to the victim.
The Association's response so far has not inspired confidence. The Association's referee team declared the innocence of its referee before even reviewing the supervisor's report, stating "the word 'menstruation' was not used." However, this explanation was soon revealed to be mere wordplay. Through subsequent reporting, it was confirmed that the actual expression used by the referee at the time was the slang term 'Girls Day,' which refers to menstruation. The Association hid behind the sentence 'that word was not used,' even though only the language was changed to slang while the intent of the remark remained the same. When combined with the self-contradiction in the same document stating "unnecessary words and actions are wrong behavior" and promising to prevent recurrence, this is closer to an attempted cover-up than an explanation. If such an institution hides behind the words "under investigation" while merely observing the execution of the warning, that cannot be called a fair process.
The excuse that there are no regulations cannot stand. Post-hoc remedies for mistakes and inappropriate refereeing management are basics of sports administration, and the suspension of disciplinary procedures and reconsideration are entirely possible through decisions by the Association and the League. What is needed is not a system but will. Since radio communication is an official channel heard by all referees together, the truth can be determined without difficulty by comparing communication records and referee statements. There is no reason to delay suspending game assignments for the referee in question until investigation results are released and transparently disclosing those results. Now that Suwon FC has decided to formally request a fact-finding investigation from the Association and League based on its squad's statement of facts, 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 talk about expanding the foundation and future of women's football while allowing the sight of a star player leaving the field simply for protesting sexual harassment. This is not something to be dismissed with a single apology statement. Canceling the yellow card must come first. That is the minimum starting point for the Association to restore its shattered trust.