Players from Incheon United and FC Seoul try to stop fans from throwing water bottles onto the field after their K League 1 match at Incheon Football Stadium in Incheon, just west of Seoul, on May 11, 2024. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, May 17 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean football club FC Seoul want all future matches against Incheon United on their home field, following a recent bottle-throwing incident in their opponent’s city that Seoul said highlighted dangers of playing there.
FC Seoul made the demand Thursday evening, after the Korea Professional Football League (K League) slapped Incheon United with a 20 million-won (US$14,800) fineover the incident from Saturday’s match.
Some 100 Incheon supporters hurled plastic water bottles onto the pitch in the aftermath of FC Seoul’s 2-1 win Saturday at Incheon Football Stadium in Incheon, just west of the capital city. As players from both clubs tried to calm down the crowd, FC Seoul captain Ki Sung-yueng was struck by a bottle.
The K League also ordered Incheon United to close off their supporter section of about 5,000 seats for the next five home matches.
In a statement under the name of their sporting director Yoo Seong-han, FC Seoul said all matches against Incheon United should be held at Seoul World Cup Stadium.
“This incident must be viewed as a riot that threatened players’ lives,” FC Seoul said. “Over the past several years, Incheon’s supporters have hurled insults at our club. Our players, including Ki Sung-yueng, have had to deal with serious emotional distress whenever we traveled to Incheon to play there.”
FC also expressed concerns about the proximity between the stands and the goals at Incheon Football Stadium, which has a capacity of 18,159, and the relatively easy access that fans have to team buses after matches.
“There are inherent dangers of clashes between fans and clubs at Incheon Football Stadium,” FC Seoul said. “In order to prevent violent acts by Incheon’s supporters, all of our matches must be played at Seoul World Cup Stadium.”
FC Seoul said Ki was traumatized by his injury and is considering taking civil or criminal action.
Officials try to separate players from Incheon United and FC Seoul during their K League 1 match at Incheon Football Stadium in Incheon, just west of Seoul, on May 11, 2024, in this photo provided by the Korea Professional Football League. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
FC Seoul’s goalkeeper Baek Jong-bum was also fined 7 million won for inciting the crowd after the final whistle Saturday. He pumped his fists and screamed toward Incheon fans in an exaggerated celebration of his club’s win, leading to bottles being thrown.
FC Seoul countered that Baek was a victim himself.
“Throughout the match, Incheon’s supporters constantly threatened Baek Jong-bum,” the club said. “He is not being properly protected.”
FC Seoul argued that Baek merely celebrated his team’s win without any intention to provoke fans of Incheon.
“It appears as though the league had already decided he had broken rules even before he had a chance to state his case,” the club added. “There have been similar types of celebration in the past. The league must be more consistent in its judgment.”
Baek himself had apologized immediately after Saturday’s match but he also claimed he had lost his cool because several Incheon fans had given him the finger and badmouthed his parents throughout the second half.
Baek did not attend Thursday’s hearing, citing a scheduling conflict with the team’s training session.
Cho Nam-don, an attorney and head of the K League’s disciplinary committee, accused Baek of “disrespecting the dignity” of the league for skipping the session.
In response, an FC Seoul official said the league office did not attempt to coordinate the hearing schedule with the club and simply asked Baek to show up.
(Yonhap)
