*This content was translated by AI.
The Korean Olympic Committee (KOC) has decided to actively work toward creating an environment where national team athletes can focus on their sports without being hindered by their affiliation status with any team.
The KOC, under President Yoo Seung-min, stated, "We plan to explore measures to strengthen the support system for national team athletes who are not affiliated with any corporate or professional teams, enabling them to dedicate themselves fully to national team activities and performance improvement."
Biathlon national team athlete Abakumova Ekaterina naturalized as a South Korean citizen in 2016 and has demonstrated outstanding performance on the international stage, including winning a gold medal at the 2025 Harbin Winter Asian Games. However, according to the KOC, after her contract with her previous team expired, she is currently training without any affiliated team.
The KOC explained, "To ensure Abakumova can continue her training steadily, we have connected her with private enterprises for sponsorship. The athlete is now continuing her activities aimed at national team training and performance improvement based on such corporate sponsorships."
Among the 1,329 national team athletes in 2026, approximately 115 are identified as having no affiliated team. While national team athletes currently receive a daily training allowance of 80,000 won when participating in intensive training programs, those without an affiliated team lack regular income beyond this allowance, which may pose challenges to sustaining their athletic careers.
In response, the KOC emphasized, "Beyond individual sponsorship connections, we will review various measures to ensure sustained economic support for national team athletes without affiliated teams, including expanding the national team training allowance."
Yoo Seung-min (Chairman) stated, "It is crucial to carefully monitor that national team athletes do not face difficulties in training and performance improvement due to their affiliation status or financial circumstances. We will continue to improve the support system so that all national team athletes can focus on training without disruption."
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*This content was translated by AI.
