Table tennis gate sparked a firestorm in the table tennis championship chatroom
“Untrue information is being amplified and reproduced as if it were true,” said Kim Garam, a lawyer at Seo-on, the law firm representing Lee Kang-in, on Friday. We want to correct this.”
“The article’s content that Lee Kang-in punched Son Heung-min in the face when Son Heung-min grabbed Lee Kang-in by the nape of the neck is not true,” Kim said.
“When Lee Kang-in played table tennis, there were high-level players with him, and table tennis 스포츠토토 was something he had always played before that day,” he added.
“Lee Kang-in is deeply sorry for his actions and is reflecting on his mistakes. We apologize once again for the inconvenience and distress caused to many football fans. As he was at the center of the dispute, Lee feels it is appropriate for him to apologize rather than provide details.”
The Korean national team had a falling out during the recently concluded 2023 Asian Cup in Qatar. The controversy over Klinsmann was first reported by the British publication The Sun on Dec. 13.
Jürgen Klinsmann’s side faced Jordan in the quarterfinals of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Qatar Asian Cup with what was expected to be the strongest squad in history, including Son Heung-min, Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), and Lee Kang-in. However, the team played poorly, recording “zero shots on target,” and lost 0-2.
The Sun reported that Son Heung-min suffered a dislocated finger in a physical altercation during dinner the night before the match.
Later, younger players, including Lee Kang-in, were restrained by Son Heung-min while playing table tennis after finishing dinner early, leading to a scuffle between the two.
The senior players then reportedly approached Klinsmann and asked him to remove Lee from the team for the Jordan game. The Korean Football Association, which had previously denied reports of players’ feuding as “harmless”, also admitted to the incident, sparking public opinion.
On Thursday, Lee Kang-in publicly apologized to fans on his social media account, revealing that there was indeed a feud. He wrote, “It was reported that I had an argument with Son Heung-min before the Asian Cup quarterfinals. I have caused great disappointment to soccer fans. I’m really sorry,” he said, admitting fault.
“I should have followed my brothers’ words well, but I’m sorry that I didn’t show a good appearance to the soccer fans,” Lee concluded his apology, saying, “I will try to help my brothers and become a better player and a better person.”
However, a Korean media outlet reported that Lee Kang-in swung his fist at Son Heung-min when he was grabbed by him at the scene of the incident. Lee Kang-in’s legal representatives quickly refuted the report.
Meanwhile, Lee Kang-in and Son Heung-min’s feud has also affected other sports. The 2024 Busan Table Tennis Championships are currently underway. At the tournament, where all matches are being broadcast on YouTube, the chat rooms have been filled with mockery of Lee Kang-in, not the matches.
It mainly talked about Lee Kang-in’s fight with his senior Son Heung-min over table tennis and criticized him. There were more stories about Lee Kang-in than about the game. In short, it was a reaction to the disappointment that Lee Kang-in, who was expected to be a national star, was involved in such an issue.
Meanwhile, the KFA confirmed Klinsmann‘s dismissal in the wake of the publicity surrounding the Lee Kang-in and Son Heung-min altercation. KFA President Chung Mong-kyu himself said, “His behavior fell short of expectations,” and promised to “quickly deal with the appointment of a new coach.”
