Athletes' Committee of the Korea Sports Association Demands Investigation into Judo Athlete Jung Soo-jin's 'Weigh-in Disqualification' Incident, Urging Against Shifting All Blame to the Athlete

*This content was translated by AI.

Amidst the disqualification of national team judoka Jung Soo-jin (21, Yongin University) in the women's 48kg category at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games due to failing the weigh-in by a mere 100 grams on competition day, the Athletes' Committee of the Korea Sports Association has called for a thorough investigation into the incident, raising the possibility that it was not merely an individual error but rather a failure in management by the coaching staff. The governing body, the Korea Judo Association, also announced that it would launch a comprehensive investigation immediately upon the return of the Ham Kke (CEO) team, following an official apology.

The Athletes' Committee of the Korea Sports Association (Chairman Kim Guk-young) issued an official statement on the 6th, expressing "deep concern" over the matter in which athlete Jung Soo-jin was unable to compete after exceeding the weigh-in limit by 100 grams on competition day, and demanded a clarification of the facts.

According to the Athletes' Committee, after passing the official weigh-in, Jung confirmed her status with her coach on the morning of the competition day but received the response that she was "not subject to the weigh-in." Consequently, the athlete consumed food and fluids for match preparation and recovery, only to be notified 15 minutes before the weigh-in deadline that she was indeed subject to it. Despite attempting a rapid weight cut in the tight timeframe, she ultimately failed to step onto the mat due to exceeding the limit by 100 grams.

The Athletes' Committee stated, "If the athlete's account is true, this incident cannot be viewed as a simple individual failure in weight management," and pointed out that "confirming and communicating weigh-in eligibility is one of the most basic management duties of the national team, and before holding the athlete accountable, it must be determined whether accurate information was properly conveyed by the coaches and the association."

The committee also sharply criticized suspicions that there were coercive statements made to the athlete immediately after the incident, such as "this needs to be quietly wrapped up." The Athletes' Committee emphasized, "Actions that suppress an athlete's legitimate grievances and exercise of rights can never be taken lightly," adding that "it is necessary to thoroughly verify whether this was a one-time mistake or a structural issue where similar problems had recurred but were handled negligently."

The Athletes' Committee strongly demanded four items: △a factual investigation into the entire process of selecting and communicating weigh-in subjects; △clarification of the information transmission and management responsibilities of the coaching staff, including supervisors and coaches; △an investigation into suspicions of post-incident inducement and verification of any infringement on the athlete's rights and reputation; and △review of the national team's weigh-in management and communication systems along with the establishment of measures to prevent recurrence.

As the controversy grew, the Korea Judo Association also moved to manage the situation by bowing its head via its official website on the 5th. The association stated, "We are seriously aware of the gravity of the weigh-in-related incident involving a national team athlete that occurred in judo and the recent allegations," adding, "We deeply regret the situation where athlete Jung Soo-jin, who has prepared for the Asian Games for a long time, was unable to compete, and we extend our deepest condolences for the mental difficulties she must have experienced. We sincerely apologize for causing great concern to the judo community and the public."

The association further promised, "As soon as the national team athletes currently participating in the World Judo Championships return home, we will conduct an objective and thorough investigation into the overall situation and circumstances at the time involving the athlete, coaches, and other relevant parties." It added, "We will clearly verify the facts regarding the process of confirming and communicating weigh-in eligibility and the team's response, and take strict measures based on regulations and principles," concluding with, "We will closely review the athlete management and tournament operation systems to establish preventive measures."

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*This content was translated by AI.