배우 겸 아마추어 권투선수 이시영 (31)이 복싱 국가대표로 선발된 것을 두고 논란이 분분하다.
이시영은 24일 열린 ‘2013 국가대표 최종 선발전’ 여자부 48kg급 결승에서 김다솜 (19)을 꺾고 태극마크를 획득했다.
그러나 이 과정에서 이시영의 결승상대였던 김다솜 측은 편파판정의혹을 제기하고 나섰다. 김다솜이 소속된 수원태풍무에타이체육관은 연합뉴스와의 인터뷰에서 “편파 판정으로 졌다”고 주장하며 대한아마추어복싱연맹에 정식으로 항의하는 방안을 검토중이라고 밝혔다.
<관련 영문 기사>
Lee Si-young’s victory marred by bias talks
South Korean actress and boxer Lee Si-young recently became the topic of heated discussion over whether referees were biased in her favor during the national boxing team tryout.
Lee defeated Kim Da-som 22-20 in the 48-kilogram class on Wednesday to win a spot on the South Korean women’s national team. The victory capped the successful transition into a competent boxer for 31-year-old Lee, who picked up the sport just three years ago at the relatively late age of 28.
Her victory, however, was tarnished after suspicion was raised about its legitimacy.
Kim Da-som, who fell to Lee in the bout despite grabbing an early lead, said she may file a formal complaint to the Korean Amateur Boxing Federation, arguing that the biased judgment cost her rightful victory.
“We had expected some advantage (for Lee) because she was a popular actress, but it was too much,” said Choi Rak-hwan, who runs Taepung Muaythai Gym, where Kim is a member. “Kim assumed there would be bias, so she had aimed for a knock-out victory.”
The dispute expanded online as many people who watched the match also questioned the fairness of the final score.
Social critic Byun Hee-jae said via Twitter that Kim simply dominated Lee. He said that if Lee earned 22 points, Kim should have been rewarded at least 50.
“Athletes work hard all their life to represent their country. To give the national team spot just because she (Lee) is pretty is a disgrace to the country,” he wrote. Byun urged Lee and her agency to forfeit her spot and “not blame it on the referee.”
Byun claimed that former world champion boxer Hong Soo-hwan also said that the match was unjust. According to Byun, Hong had said “this kind of thing is what drives boxing fans away.”
The boxing federation maintained that there was no bias and Lee’s victory stands.
It explained that there is a difference between how professional boxing and amateur boxing are judged.
“In amateur boxing a technique-based clean hit is more important than power. The referees (of Lee and Kim’s match) were fair,” an official from the boxing federation said.
By Yoon Min-sik
(minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)
