SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The Korea Skating Union has reduced the punishment for two South Korean Olympic medalists accused in connection with a short-track speedskating race-fixing scandal.
Skating official Park Seong-hyun says Lee Jung-su and Kwak Yoon-gy were notified Wednesday that their ban against competing was reduced from three years to one.
Lee and Kwak have seven days to appeal to the Korean Olympic Committee.
The scandal emerged when Lee failed to qualify for the 2010 worlds, citing a knee injury. An investigation found that a national team coach coerced Lee into giving up his spot for Kwak.
Lee won golds at the Vancouver Olympics in the men’s 1,000 and 1,500-meter races. Kwak won silver in the men’s 5,000 relay.
