'Tearful fencing national team amid blockade protest... borrowed equipment to compete in Asian Championships, still unable to retrieve own gear

*This content was translated by AI.

'The fencing national team, preparing to compete in the Asian Championships, found itself in an absurd situation. As the blockade protest at the Handball Arena at Olympic Park in Songpa-gu, Seoul, related to the shortage of ballot papers for the the 3rd local elections dragged on, the national team athletes were forced to urgently borrow equipment from other athletes to compete in the international tournament.

'The fencing national team departed for New Delhi, India, via Incheon International Airport on the morning of the 16th. The team is scheduled to compete in the 2026 Asian Fencing Championships, which will be held in India starting on the 18th. Key Korean fencers, including Oh Sang-wook (Daejeon City Hall), Song Se-ra (Busan City Hall), and Jeon Ha-young (Seoul City Hall), will also participate in this tournament.

'However, normal departure preparations could not be made. According to NEWS1, the fencing national team headed to India without their usual equipment. This was because access to the Korean Fencing Association's office was blocked due to the ongoing blockade protests around the Handball Arena following the the 3rd local elections.

'Twelve sports organizations, including the Korean Fencing Association and the Korean Handball Federation, are housed at the Handball Arena at Olympic Park. However, due to the prolonged blockade protests, they are facing difficulties in normal operations. It is reported that each organization's office space contains essential accounting and administrative items such as corporate cards, OTPs, official seals, and common authentication certificates, as well as items related to tournament operations and qualification certification. Currently, access is difficult.

'Earlier, on the 11th, the sports organizations housed at the Handball Arena held a statement in front of the venue, carrying banners that read "We want to return to our workplace," calling for the resumption of normal operations. However, the situation did not change significantly afterward.

'Ultimately, the damage extended to the athletes. The fencing national team was unable to retrieve their personal equipment, including fencing swords, jackets, and fencing shoes, which were stored in the association's office space, and had to borrow equipment from teammates and other athletes to compete in this tournament. This unprecedented situation occurred where national team athletes preparing for an international competition had to compete with borrowed equipment instead of their own.

'The controversy did not end there. Earlier, some protesters attempted to search the belongings of the women's youth national handball team, sparking controversy over private searches.

'As the situation continued, Korean Olympic Committee President Yoo Seung-min held a press conference on the 15th and requested the deployment of public authority. Following this, Jang Dong-hyeok (CEO) and other National Assembly members from the People Power Party visited the site to mediate, but this also fell through due to opposition from some protesters.

'A mediation plan was prepared the previous day, under the supervision of People Power Party members, allowing two representatives from each organization and two broadcasters to enter together, retrieve the Olympic Committee's items, and have them verified by citizens. Jang (CEO) also informed the protesters of this decision. In response, sports organizations under the Olympic Committee attempted to enter the facility.

'However, a female protester refused the mediation plan and blocked the gate, preventing entry. People Power Party members, including Jang (CEO), and some protesters attempted to persuade the woman and try to re-enter, but ultimately failed. It is reported that the Olympic Committee side eventually withdrew.

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*This content was translated by AI.