Football player punished by club for covering up drunk driving charges

December 17, 2018

SEOUL, Dec. 17 (Yonhap) — A South Korean football player was punished by his club on Monday for covering up multiple drunk driving charges.

FC Seoul said they have placed Lee Sang-ho on the voluntarily retired list. They asked the K League for authorization last Wednesday, and the league office gave its green light on Monday.

With that, Lee won’t be able to play elsewhere in the K League without consent from FC Seoul.

Lee, 31, was indicted for driving under the influence of alcohol in September. His blood alcohol content level came to 0.178 percent, well over the legal limit of 0.05 percent.

He didn’t report the incident to the club and appeared in five matches. He received a four-month prison sentence suspended for two years earlier this month.

The K League suspended him for 15 matches and fined him 15 million won (US$13,260) last Wednesday.

This file photo from July 22, 2018, shows FC Seoul midfielder Lee Sang-ho during a K League 1 match against Incheon United in Incheon, 40 kilometers west of Seoul. (Yonhap)

This file photo from July 22, 2018, shows FC Seoul midfielder Lee Sang-ho during a K League 1 match against Incheon United in Incheon, 40 kilometers west of Seoul. (Yonhap)