South Korean IOC member suspended in corruption case

The IOC executive board “decided to provisionally deprive Yong Sung Park of all the rights, prerogatives and functions deriving from his IOC membership while the Ethics Commission continues its inquiry and until the judicial authorities have rendered a final judgement.”

The IOC ethics commission will wait for a final verdict on any appeals by Park. After that, he would face a possible recommendation for expulsion.

Expulsion requires a two-thirds vote of the full IOC. The next IOC general assembly is in 2007.

Park was given a three-year suspended jail sentence and an Won 8-billion ($8.3-million; Euro 6.9-million) fine by the Seoul district court yesterday. Park’s three brothers were also convicted in the case.

The 65-year-old Park is president of the International Judo Federation, a post that gives him automatic IOC membership.