South Korean Olympic champion suspended over text messages

Seoul: Two-time Olympic short-track champion Shim Suk-hee has been suspended for two months over her text messages that authorities say "marred the dignity of athletes," a decision that could bar her from attending the Beijing Winter Olympics. The Korea Staking Union said Wednesday it decided to suspend Shim from the national team during a disciplinary meeting held Tuesday. Shim can appeal the ruling to the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee or file for an injunction with a local court.

Even if either of them accepts her appeal, the Korea Staking Union isn't obliged to overturn or lessen its penalty immediately and can hold another internal meeting to discuss whether to include her in the national team, according to the skating union. This possible lengthy process suggests it's difficult for Shim to go to Beijing as the Olympics are to open on Feb. 4 and South Korea's Olympic committee plans to submit its short-track entry list on Jan. 24.

In October, Shim was cut from the team after a local media reported what it described as text messages exchanged between her and her coach that insulted two teammates and suggested she might have deliberately tripped one of them, Choi Min-jeong, during 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Games.