South Korean curlers Kim Kyeong-ae, Kim Seon-yeong, Kim Cho-hi and Kim Eun-jung (L to R) celebrate a point against the Russian Olympic Committee during a women’s curling round-robin match at the Beijing Winter Olympics at the National Aquatics Centre in Beijing, in the Feb. 12, 2022, file photo. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, March 1 (Korea Bizwire) — The South Korean curling governing body announced Tuesday its teams will boycott all upcoming matches against Russia following the country’s invasion of Ukraine, joining a slew of others in the sporting world in protesting the military action by Moscow.
In an English-language statement, the Korea Curling Federation (KCF) said it “strongly condemns Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine” and that it will “not cooperate nor engage in sports exchanges with any nation that breaks world peace through military means, undermines a country’s sovereignty and destroys the lives of civilians.”
It is the first South Korean sports federation to denounce the Russian invasion.
The women’s national team will first boycott its game against Russia on March 20 at the World Women’s Curling Championship in Prince George, Canada.
Then on April 5 in Las Vegas, the South Korean men’s team will refuse to face Russia at the World Men’s Curling Championship.
The national mixed doubles team will also pull out of its game against Russia at the April 23-30 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship in Geneva once the schedule is announced.
“All curlers of the Korea Curling Federation will confront war crimes along with the World Curling Federation, and we will support and join the movement of all sports federations around the world that supports this cause,” the KCF’s statement read.
“Korea also has a painful history of losing its sovereignty to Japanese imperialism. Once again, war and military invasion cannot be justified through any means.”
After Russia invaded neighboring Ukraine in late February, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) urged sports federations to cancel or move events scheduled in Russia, and to ban the use of the Russian flag and anthem at competitions.
FIFA has been among several international organizations that have since banned Russia from competitions. The Seoul-based World Taekwondo stripped Russian President Vladimir Putin of his honorary black belt Tuesday.
(Yonhap)
