SEOUL (AFP) - South Korean speed skating star Shim Suk-hee has been suspended for two months over expletive-laden texts about her teammates, leaving her participation at the Beijing Winter Games hanging by a thread.
The 24-year-old is one of South Korea's most successful skaters with four Olympic short-track medals, including relay golds at the 2014 and 2018 Games.
Her two-month suspension, announced on Tuesday (Dec 21), was the latest in a series of scandals to emerge after the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics in South Korea.
A disciplinary committee of the Korea Skating Union concluded Shim caused "social trouble" and "tarnished the dignity" of other athletes after investigating texts she sent to one of her coaches during the Games.
The only way she can now compete at the 2022 Games, which begin on Feb 4 in Beijing, is to get a court injunction against the suspension or lodge a successful appeal with the South Korean Olympic committee.
Her texts were first reported by local media in October, sparking an outcry.
In the denigrating messages, Shim had also suggested tripping her teammate Choi Min-jeong if they competed in the same race at Pyeongchang.
The two ended up racing in the 1,000m final and got tangled in the final stretch, causing them to fall and crash into the wall. Shim was disqualified and Choi ended fourth, with Dutchwoman Suzanne Schulting winning.
Shim had apologised for her "immature behaviour" when the texts were revealed.
A probe was launched at the behest of Choi to find out whether Shim intentionally tripped her, but officials concluded that was not the case, citing a lack of evidence.
South Korean sport has seen a number of cases of bullying, harassment, abuse and ill discipline in recent years - especially in short track speed skating.
One of Shim's coaches - not involved in the texting case - was jailed this year for more than a decade for sexually assaulting her over several years.
And in 2019, a male skater was suspended for a month after secretly getting into the female dorm at the national training centre.
Meanwhile, two-time Olympic figure skating gold medallist Yuzuru Hanyu skipped practice on Wednesday ahead of Japan's national championships, casting fresh doubt on whether he will be fit to defend his title in Beijing in six weeks.
He has been out of action since last month after injuring his right ankle ligaments in a fall during practice, forcing him to miss the entire Grand Prix season.
The 27-year-old superstar is scheduled to make his much-anticipated comeback this week at the Japanese nationals - the men's short programme takes place on Friday with the free skate on Sunday.
But he pulled out of a scheduled practice and cancelled a media appearance on Wednesday, fuelling fears that he is not fit.
Hanyu hurt the same ankle just months before the 2018 Pyeongchang Games. He withdrew from that season's Japanese nationals and did not compete again until the Games. But he made a triumphant comeback in South Korea - becoming the first man to clinch back-to-back Olympic figure skating titles in more than six decades.
Hanyu said after winning gold that his ankle had never fully healed. He said last month that he had not "even reached the starting line", weeks after hurting himself in practice for the NHK Trophy.
