Legal interpretation is’Insufficient grounds for discipline’… Public opinion weighs on discipline
The decision of the independent organization KBO Reward and Punishment Committee was a’severe warning’.
On the other hand, baseball officials such as the Professional Baseball Players Association and the Retired Players Association want’severe punishment’.
The gap between the legal interpretation of Kiwoom Heroes Chairman Heo Min and public opinion is quite large.
At the end of 2020, the time of choice is approaching for President Jung Un-chan who leaves KBO.
KBO held a reward and punishment committee on the 22nd and discussed about Kiwoom, who is suspicious of fan inspections.
At the end of the marathon meeting, the rewards and punishment committee concluded.
However, the final decision maker, Governor Un-chan Jeong, did not agree with the decision of the reward and punishment committee.
Governor Jung Un-chan expressed the opinion that’there should be substantial discipline against Chairman Heo Min.’
It is also known that Jung also believes that public opinion also wants substantial discipline.
The problem is that’the grounds for discipline’ are insufficient.
Heo Min Ki-woom, chairman of the board of directors, stood at the center of controversy after a scene of throwing a ball against a second-team player at the Futures League training ground in June was reported.
Afterwards, Kiwoom was suspected of inspecting the fans who reported to the broadcaster by filming Chairman Heo’s pitching.
Lee Taek-geun, released from Kiwoom, recently submitted a disciplinary request to KBO, saying, “The club inspected the fans on a closed circuit (CC) TV and gave an unreasonable instruction to investigate the fans to find out who filmed the video.” A committee has been called.
After a long discussion, the reward and punishment committee expressed an opinion that “the grounds for punishment are insufficient.”
Lawyers included in the Reward and Punishment Committee mainly interpreted it as’legal interpretation and strict warnings under the KBO rules as the most appropriate discipline.’
The legal basis for disciplining Kiwoom Club and Chairman Heo Min is’Chapter 14 Harmful Acts, Article 151 Damages of Dignity’.
In this Code,’drug crimes, military service irregularities, racism, violence, sexual crimes, drunk driving, gambling, doping, etc. that damage the dignity outside of the game’ were cited as examples.
There are many gazes that see’Chairman Heo Min throwing a ball at players and inspecting the fans who filmed it’ as a loss of dignity.
However, the legal experts, who weighed on legal interpretation, interpreted that “I understand the claimant’s claim, but the basis for the fan inspection is not clear.”
In this part, the arguments of Shingo-in and Kiwoom are mixed.
Lee Taek-geun said, “The club instructed the filming fans to’confirm with themselves whether or not to report the video to the media.’
He inspected the fans with CCTV and gave unreasonable instructions to me as a player,” he said and put up a recording file of calls with the club officials as evidence.
“The reason I checked the CCTV is because it was speculated that the video was filmed in an area where the public is prohibited from entering.
As a result of the CCTV check, it was determined that no additional measures were required for security reasons, so no action was taken against the person who filmed the video.”
Lawyers who had to look at the matter conservatively interpreted it as “it is difficult to accept the reporter’s claim unless more convincing evidence comes from legally alone.”
KBO also believes that “If it leads to a court battle, there is a high possibility that Kiwoom will win.”
For the KBO that has jurisdiction over the league,’legal interpretation’ is as important as public opinion.
If KBO’s judgment contradicts the law, the burden that KBO working-level staff has to bear is huge.
The unusual situation in which the executive committee’s decision is ignored and the governor sets the level of disciplinary action is also burdensome for KBO.
However, if controversy has grown and sharp public opinion has been formed, criticism from inside and outside the baseball world cannot be avoided if the issue is ended with a’severe warning.
Due to the large gap between the rules and public opinion, the concerns of President Jung Un-chan and KBO who decided to conclude this year are deep.
However, you can use this as an opportunity to prevent recurrence.
If KBO makes a’regulation that prohibits the use of the player’s team or baseball field personally’, there will be grounds to punish the deviation of personnel who exercise real influence, not only Chairman Heo Min and Kiwoom, but also not related to professional baseball.
/yunhap news