SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — An athletes’ group has raised further allegations of sexual abuse in South Korean speed skating following explosive claims by two-time Olympic champion Shim Suk-hee that she had been raped by her former coach since she was a teen.
The group said Monday it found five more skaters who were sexually abused by their coaches but did not reveal their names.
It says the current leadership at the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee should step down for failing to safeguard athletes.
The announcement comes amid a growing #MeToo movement that is rocking South Korea’s elite sports scene, which has been notorious for brutal training cultures and highly hierarchical relationships between coaches and athletes. Female athletes in judo, taekwondo and wrestling have also accused their male coaches of sexually abusing them.
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