“I apologize as a coach.”
SSG head coach Kim Won-hyung met with reporters ahead of the team’s eighth game of the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League season against Doosan at SSG Landers Field in Incheon on Nov. 11 and bowed his head over the assault on a Futures player.
The incident occurred at Ganghwa Futures Field, home to the SSG Futures team. On June 6, infielder A took issue with rookie B’s attitude and gathered the juniors for a lunchtime group punching. After the bullying, pitcher C assaulted B with a bat, which was followed by another group bullying.
SSG became aware of the issue on the 7th, the day after the incident, and immediately reported it to the KBO Clean Baseball Center. The player was interviewed over the weekend and a report was filed. The offender was excluded from training and games.
In response, Kim Won-hyung, the head coach of the first team, bowed to the baseball fans. “As a coach, I am disgraced. It shouldn’t happen in this day and age, but I’m sorry that it happened,” he apologized.
SSG has been in the news for assaults on its second-team players before, even under its predecessor, the SK Wyverns. In 2020, some of the second-team players left their quarters without permission and drove without a license and under the influence of alcohol. This led to the seniors hitting the younger players.
At the time, the KBO suspended and fined the perpetrators of the bullying and assault, as well as the players who drove drunk and drove without a license. At the time, SK did not report the incident to the KBO and was fined 20 million won.
“I was in a different team at the time,” Kim said, “and the club talked about it and tried to prevent it from happening again, but it happened again. It’s mismanagement. I’m sorry. I will try to prevent it from happening again. I don’t have anything to say,” and repeatedly bowed his head.안전놀이터
Meanwhile, the KBO said, “The player was hit twice with a bat. We recognize this as a very serious matter. It should not be taken lightly. We will deal with this issue as well. We will hold a punishment committee next week after the All-Star Game.”