Amid allegations that the Korea Football Association provided sexual entertainment to referees, the revelation that Japanese referees were among the targets has drawn intense interest in Japan.
The Japanese media outlet Football Tribe reported, "The names of Japanese referees are included in reports regarding the KFA's sexual entertainment allegations."
It further disclosed the real names, stating, "Ryuji Sato, Yuichi Nishimura, and others have been pointed out as beneficiaries related to sexual services."
Ryuji Sato was the referee who officiated the matches against Honduras and China held in March 2011, and he is currently active as a manager overseeing J. League referees at the Japan Football Association.
At the time, both assistant referees and the fourth official were also all Japanese referees.
Nishimura was the referee for the third qualifying match for the 2014 Brazil World Cup against Kuwait held in 2012.
The outlet pointed out, "If the reports by South Korean media are true, the Japan Football Association and the J. League will have no choice but to take action," adding, "The assignment of referees for official J. League matches may also need to be reconsidered for some games."
Previously yesterday, it was revealed that the KFA has systematically provided sexual entertainment targeting foreign referee crews, sending shockwaves to football fans around the world.
According to the audit of the KFA by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2016, sexual entertainment was provided to about 10 people, including foreign referees and match commissioners, across a total of 7 matches—3 World Cup and Olympic qualifiers and 4 friendly matches—held domestically for one year starting in March 2011.
In the international football community, sarcastic remarks have persisted claiming that South Korea's advancement to the semi-finals of the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup was thanks to "referee bribery," and as the fact that such malicious practices continued even after that has come to light, South Korean football's international disgrace seems unavoidable.
(Reported by Kim Jiuk | Video by Lee Dain | Graphics by Yang Hyemin | Produced by SBS Digital News)
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