"Frustrated" Director Lee Jung-hyo's Gwangju defeated Gangwon 0-1 amid controversy over 'unqualified players'
"Frustrated" Director Lee Jung-hyo's Gwangju defeated Gangwon 0-1 amid controversy over 'unqualified players'
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Gwangju FC, which was reeling under administrative confusion, eventually knelt on Gangwon FC. Gwangju's internal and external situations were not an environment where people could only focus on the game, as manager Lee Jung-hyo said before the game, "It's frustrating." The incident, which even caused controversy over fairness in the league, left more than that as a result of the game.
Gwangju lost 0-1 to Gangwon in the 15th round of the Hana Bank K League 1 2025 home game held at the Gwangju World Cup Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Gwangju ranked sixth with 22 points (6 wins, 4 draws and 5 losses). Due to the loss, Gwangju lost four consecutive games against Gangwon.
The watershed moment of the match came in the second half of extra time. Gangwon's Kim Do-hyun was in a competition with Gwangju defender Cho Sung-kwon in the penalty box when Cho's handball foul was declared, and the referee decided the penalty after VAR on-field review. Kim Dong-hyun, who was a kicker, scored the winning goal by stabbing at the corner of the goal.
The loss was all the more regrettable for Gwangju. In the second half alone, consecutive shots by Asani and Hayes, including Park In-hyuk's decisive opportunity, were blocked by goalkeeper Lee Kwang-yeon, failing to catch the flow. Gwangju struggled in decisiveness throughout the match, and missed the point due to VAR decision right before the game ended.
It wasn't just the performance that weighed on Gwangju. In an official interview before the match, coach Lee Jung-hyo said, "We have not been informed clearly whether Asani can be registered as a player or not. It is difficult to even know which players are available now." He added, "It is so frustrating. Far from preparing for the summer transfer market, the management of the team is also uncertain."
In fact, Gwangju has been banned from registering players due to FIFA's recent failure to pay solidarity contributions. Despite the normal payment of solidarity contributions, remittances were repeatedly returned due to account errors and employee leave of absence, and 10 people were registered in the winter transfer market without being aware of this. Currently, FIFA is considering disciplinary action against Gwangju for questioning the qualifications of the players in question. The possibility of nullifying the match is being mentioned, sending shockwaves throughout the entire league.
The controversy spread through the way the Korea Football Association responded. Kim Seung-hee, the executive director, explained at a press conference on the 21st, "We considered league stability and player protection so that the players' sweat would not be wasted due to administrative errors, not intentional ones," but the remarks led to criticism that they were "emotional rather than regulation."
Other clubs in the league are raising the issue of equity. It is pointed out that in the K-League system, where all teams must compete under the same regulations, if exceptions are made to certain teams due to "administrative mistakes," the foundation of fairness itself is shaken. In particular, with the automatic compensation system through the "clearing house" already introduced by FIFA in 2022 being applied to thousands of clubs around the world, it is criticized that it does not meet international standards to admit exceptions, saying that only Korean soccer is "settled." 메이저놀이터
Coach Lee Jung-hyo said, "I told the players to focus only on what we can do. We need to make a commitment not to be swayed for the sake of our fans," but Gwangju could not completely overcome the draft on the day as well.