It’s up to the rest of us to clean up the mess.
On July 7, Suwon FC’s Ras was investigated for driving under the influence. At the time, police responded to a report of “suspected drunk driving” and caught him on a road in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul at 4 am. His blood alcohol content was measured to be over 0.08%, which is equivalent to a license revocation.
For Suwon FC, it’s more of the same. With six wins, five draws, and 14 losses this season, Suwon FC is in 10th place out of 12 teams. If they don’t improve on their current position, they’ll have to play a relegation playoff.
Ras, who is in his fourth year in the K League, has 41 goals and 21 assists in 120 games. This season, he has nine goals and five assists, the most on the team. In terms of offensive points, he is second in the league.
What makes Rath’s DUI even more of an issue is his recent behavior. Lars has been linked with a move away from Suwon FC this summer. The player wanted out and was not fully committed to the team. Suwon FC head coach Kim Do-gyun left him out of the team’s match against Gwangju FC on March 22, when they hadn’t won a league game in seven matches.
“It’s a very difficult time,” Kim said at the time, “and Rath’s physical condition and psychological state are not good due to the transfer issue. It’s better to have a player who is willing to play,” Kim said at the time, revealing the reasoning behind leaving Ras off the roster. “I had a conversation with him during the break,” Kim said, adding, “It’s time for him to focus on the team.” On the fifth day after his return, against Suwon Samsung. On the same day, Rath scored the game-winning goal, seemingly atoning for his behavior, but news of his DUI broke shortly afterward.
This is not the first time a foreign player in the K League has been caught drinking and driving. Last July, Kunimoto (Johor Darul Ta’zim) of Jeonbuk Hyundai and Jonathan (Hyderabad FC) of FC Anyang were both released from their contracts after being caught drinking and driving.
As a foreign player, Rath can find a new team as a free agent once his contract is terminated. Since there is no transfer fee, finding a new job shouldn’t be a problem. Suspicion falls on Lars because he’s been caught up in transfer rumors and hasn’t been able to focus on the team.
Ras can find a new team, but Suwon FC and the K League are different. He has to deal with the negative image of drunk driving. In Suwon FC’s case, they lost their main gun in a fight for survival. The additional registration period is over, so they can’t sign new players. They have to rely on their existing resources. This is why they are worried that they could take advantage of the strict domestic laws against drunk driving.
“If we put a penalty clause on foreign players in case something like this happens, will they be willing to come to our team in competition with other teams?” asked Choi Soon-ho of Suwon FC, adding, “It’s not just a problem for us, but for all clubs and the KFA to think about.”
In the end, Suwon FC did not choose to immediately terminate his contract. The club announced on Aug. 8 that it had imposed a disciplinary ban on Ras through its emergency squad management committee, excluding him from training and matches. The club also said it would meet again after the KFA’s punishment committee, which is scheduled for Oct. 10, to make a decision.
“We are of the opinion that unconditional termination of contracts, such as the recent cases of other clubs, is not helpful in preventing future recurrences,” Suwon FC said, explaining that “all players in the K League have a great responsibility as public figures, and we believe that driving under the influence of alcohol for any reason is an unacceptable criminal offense.”
“Even if we agree to the penalty clause, the federation may restrict it on the grounds of fair trade,” said one club official. “It’s not easy for a club to include a penalty clause in a standard contract,” said another, “Ideally, the federation would include it in the contract for domestic and international players. In the end, all clubs and federations will have to come together.”카지노
The federation also recognizes the seriousness of the situation amid concerns about repeated aberrations and abuse. “We have been in discussions with our legal team since Rath’s DUI arrest,” said a league official, “and we are in full agreement with the abuse cases,” adding that they will work with the K League clubs to find a solution.