Journalist

Kang Sang-heon
  • IOC Bans Ukrainian Skeleton Racer From Milan Olympics Over Memorial Helmet
    IOC Bans Ukrainian Skeleton Racer From Milan Olympics Over Memorial Helmet The International Olympic Committee has stripped Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych of eligibility for the 2026 Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics after he insisted on wearing a “memorial helmet” honoring fellow athletes killed in the war with Russia. The IOC said Thursday (Korea time) that Heraskevych was barred from the Games for failing to comply with its athlete freedom-of-expression guidelines. During training runs for the event, Heraskevych wore a custom helmet bearing images of 24 Ukrainian athletes who died during the war, the IOC said. The IOC ruled that the helmet violated Rule 50.2 of the Olympic Charter, which says “no kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.” As an alternative, the IOC proposed that he wear a memorial armband. The IOC said IOC President Kirsty Coventry met with Heraskevych earlier Thursday for talks. Heraskevych refused. “Because of the sacrifice of the athletes who died, we were able to compete here as one team,” he said. “I cannot betray them,” he added, reiterating he would keep wearing the helmet. The IOC said it “regrettably” withdrew his eligibility after he made clear he would not consider any compromise. The Associated Press reported that Heraskevych said he would challenge the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Heraskevych also drew attention at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, when he held a sign after his race reading “No war in Ukraine.” The IOC at the time said it did not violate the charter because it was simply a call for peace.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-12 18:39:00
  • Samsung, CJ, Naver and others ramp up Team Korea marketing for 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics
    Samsung, CJ, Naver and others ramp up Team Korea marketing for 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee’s official sponsors are rolling out marketing campaigns to back South Korea’s Olympic team, known as Team Korea, for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. According to the committee on Wednesday, Samsung Electronics, an International Olympic Committee partner, used the Galaxy S25 Ultra to shoot official profile photos of Team Korea athletes competing at the Games. The photo and video shoots highlighted each athlete and sport. Beer sponsor OB Beer’s Cass brand is supporting Team Korea through its “Our unforgettable story” campaign. Cass provided cheer gifts to athletes and is serving the Cass Fresh family as the official dinner beer at Korea House in Milan, while running an on-site booth for visitors and overseas fans. In South Korea, it is also promoting social media sharing of medal moments and running Olympics-linked promotions at major venues nationwide. Official partners are also active. CJ is the title sponsor of Korea House in Milan, introducing Korean culture to visitors, and is supplying food to a meal-support center operating at the Olympic site to help athletes maintain their condition with Korean dishes. Ahead of the Games, CJ held “Bibigo Day” events at the Taereung and Jincheon national training centers. Olive Young produced a travel “K-beauty kit” and provided it to all athletes who attended the team’s send-off ceremony. Naver, the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics’ new-media broadcaster, is streaming all events on Naver Sports and Chzzk and is running a special Olympics page. The page posts photos and videos of all Team Korea athletes to help the public follow their stories and support them. Woori Financial Group is delivering support messages through TV ads, social media and outdoor advertising. Singer IU, the group’s advertising model, narrates a commercial titled “South Korea’s national team financial group,” showing people cheering for national team athletes in everyday settings. Eight affiliates are also running a customer-participation event during the Olympics to boost public interest in the team. Dunamu (Upbit) is airing a TV ad with its official model, figure skater Cha Jun-hwan, supporting all 71 Team Korea athletes. It also linked athlete support with winter-sports development through a bitcoin donation and is running an in-app Team Korea quiz event. Best Sleep, the official partner in the bed-and-mattress category, supplied mattresses, pillows and bedding to Team Korea’s accommodations in Milan to help athletes rest in an unfamiliar environment. It also held events providing bedding to athletes at the Jincheon, Pyeongchang and Taereung national training centers. SK Telecom introduced digital-based Team Korea support content, including V Coloring. Paris Baguette produced Team Korea support posters and photo cards and displayed them at stores nationwide. KOC President Ryu Seung-min said the campaigns are Olympic marketing activities carried out “in an official capacity” by companies that have signed sponsorship agreements with the committee. “Through this cooperation, we were able to responsibly deliver Team Korea’s challenge and the values of the Olympics to the public,” Ryu said. He added that the committee will continue working with sponsors to create a fair, healthy Olympic marketing environment and to support South Korea’s athletes so they can perform at their best on the international stage.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-12 17:00:36
  • Figure skater Cha Jun-hwan finishes 6th in short program, eyes Olympic medal
    Figure skater Cha Jun-hwan finishes 6th in short program, eyes Olympic medal SEOUL, February 11 (AJP) - Figure skater Cha Jun-hwan finished sixth after a flawless performance in the men's short program on Tuesday at the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo. Cha scored 92.72 points with 50.08 technical elements and 42.64 in program components, below his personal best of 101.33 but above his previous season best of 91.60 set at last November's NHK Trophy in Osaka, Japan. With his sixth-place finish among 29 skaters, he advanced to the free skate, where the top 24 will compete for medals on Friday. Cha, competing in his third consecutive Olympics after Pyeongchang in 2018 and Beijing in 2022, is the second South Korean figure skater to make three straight Olympic appearances, following Jeong Seong-il, who competed at the Games in Calgary in 1988, Albertville in 1992 and Lillehammer in 1994. Cha finished 15th at Pyeongchang and then placed fifth at Beijing, the best results ever achieved by a South Korean skater in the men's figure skating. After winning gold at the Asian Winter Games in Harbin last year, Cha is aiming to become the first South Korean man to win an Olympic figure skating medal. "I'm happy I was able to do what I prepared for," Cha said in an interview after finishing his short program. "I'll do my best until the end." Meanwhile, Kim Hyun-gyeom finished his Olympic debut with a score of 69.30 points, placing 26th and failing to reach the free skate. 2026-02-11 09:42:15
  • South Korea’s Cha Jun-hwan sits sixth in Olympic short program, eyes historic medal
    South Korea’s Cha Jun-hwan sits sixth in Olympic short program, eyes historic medal South Korea’s Cha Jun-hwan delivered a clean short program at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, boosting his medal hopes heading into the free skate. Cha scored 92.72 points on Tuesday (Korea time) at the Milan Ice Skating Arena in Milan, with 50.08 in technical elements and 42.64 in program components. The total was below his personal best of 101.33, but it topped his previous season best of 91.60 from the NHK Trophy in November. Cha ranked sixth among 29 skaters and advanced to the free skate, which will be held Feb. 14 and will determine the medals. Only the top 24 from the short program qualify for the free skate. Cha is competing in his third straight Olympics, after Pyeongchang in 2018 and Beijing in 2022. He is the second South Korean figure skater to make three consecutive Olympic appearances, following men’s singles skater Jeong Seong-il, who competed in 1992 Albertville, 1994 Lillehammer and 1998 Calgary. Cha finished 15th at the Pyeongchang Games as a high school student, improving on Jeong’s previous best Olympic result for South Korean men (17th at Lillehammer). He then placed fifth in Beijing, setting a new national best again. Cha, the gold medalist at the 2025 Harbin Asian Winter Games in February, is trying to win South Korea’s first Olympic medal in men’s figure skating. Across men and women, it would be the country’s first Olympic figure skating medal in 12 years, since Kim Yuna at the 2014 Sochi Games. Skating 15th in the short program, Cha opened to “Rain in Your Black Eyes” and landed a quad Salchow. He followed with a triple Lutz-triple loop combination and earned Level 4 on his flying camel spin. In the second half, when jumps receive a 10% bonus, he landed a triple Axel, then finished with a change-foot sit spin (Level 4), step sequence (Level 3) and change-foot combination spin (Level 4). Afterward, Cha told a broadcaster, “I’m happy I was able to do as well as I prepared for in the short program.” He added, “I’ll do my best until the end in the free skating. I don’t think whether I make mistakes is important. I want to do my best and show the story I’ve built up.” Kim Hyeon-gyeom of Korea University, also representing South Korea, scored 69.30 points in his Olympic debut and failed to qualify for the free skate, finishing 26th. He received 37.92 in technical elements and 32.39 in program components, with a 1-point deduction. Kim was unsteady on the landing of his opening quad toe loop, then fell on his second jump while attempting a triple Axel, drawing a major deduction. He earned Level 4 on his flying camel spin and later landed a triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination. He finished with a step sequence (Level 3), change-foot combination spin and change-foot sit spin (Level 4).* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-11 07:42:00
  • Italy’s State Mint Promises Quick Repairs After Defective Medals at Milan-Cortina Olympics
    Italy’s State Mint Promises Quick Repairs After Defective Medals at Milan-Cortina Olympics 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics organizers and Italy’s state mint moved to address complaints about damaged medals after several athletes reported problems early in the Games. The organizing committee said Italy’s national mint would promptly repair medals with issues, according to the AP on Tuesday. Questions about medal quality surfaced after U.S. alpine skier Breezy Johnson, the women’s downhill gold medalist, arrived at a post-ceremony news conference on Saturday wearing only the ribbon. Asked where the medal was, she pulled it from her pocket and said it was broken. She said she had been jumping in celebration when it suddenly fell off. Other cases have been reported by outlets including USA TODAY and Germany’s Bild. German biathlete Justus Strelow said he noticed a crack after his mixed relay bronze medal separated from its ribbon and fell to the floor while he was celebrating at the team lodging. Sweden’s Eva Andersson, a cross-country skiing silver medalist, said her medal broke after it fell onto snow and added, “I hope the organizing committee has a plan for broken medals.” U.S. figure skater Alysa Liu also posted a photo on social media holding her team event gold medal in one hand and the ribbon in the other, writing, “My medal doesn’t need a ribbon.” The medals were promoted as environmentally friendly, made by Italy’s national mint using recycled metal recovered from scrap and produced in a furnace powered by 100% renewable energy. As criticism continued, organizers opened an investigation and said they had a fix. Communications director Luca Casasa said the problem was not with the gold, silver or bronze medals themselves, but with the ribbon and the clasp. He said athletes who received affected medals can return them through a designated process for immediate repair. Medal issues also drew attention at the 2024 Paris Olympics. InsideTheGames reported in March last year that France’s mint received requests from 220 athletes to replace their medals — about 4% of the 5,084 medals awarded — and said replacement medals would include a protective coating to improve durability.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-11 06:27:00
  • Cha Jun-hwan skates clean short program at Milan-Cortina Olympics; Kim Hyun-gyeom falls
    Cha Jun-hwan skates clean short program at Milan-Cortina Olympics; Kim Hyun-gyeom falls South Korean men’s singles figure skater Cha Jun-hwan of Seoul City Hall delivered a clean short program at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics. Skating Tuesday (Korea time) at the Milan Ice Skating Arena in Italy, Cha scored 92.72 points, with 50.08 in technical elements and 42.64 in program components. With three groups completed, Cha stood first in the interim standings and secured a spot in the free skate, which is limited to the top 24 skaters. Cha, the 15th skater to take the ice, opened to “Rain in Your Black Eyes” and landed a quadruple Salchow cleanly. He followed with a triple Lutz-triple loop combination and earned Level 4 on his flying camel spin. In the second half, which carries a 10% bonus, he completed a triple Axel, then finished with a change-foot sit spin (Level 4), step sequence (Level 3) and change-foot combination spin (Level 4). Kim Hyun-gyeom of Korea University, skating in his Olympic debut, scored 69.30 points (37.92 TES, 32.39 PCS) with a 1-point deduction, putting his bid to reach the top 24 in jeopardy. Kim was unsteady on the landing of his opening quadruple toe loop, then fell on a triple Axel attempt for his second jump, drawing a major deduction. He recovered with a Level 4 flying camel spin and a clean triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination, then closed with a step sequence (Level 3) and Level 4 change-foot combination and change-foot sit spins. The free skate, which will decide the medals, is scheduled for Feb. 14.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-11 05:39:00
  • South Korea’s Choi Doo Jin Places 85th in Olympic Biathlon 20km in Debut
    South Korea’s Choi Doo Jin Places 85th in Olympic Biathlon 20km in Debut Choi Doo Jin of Pocheon City Hall finished 85th in the men’s 20-kilometer biathlon in his first Olympic appearance. Choi posted a time of 1:05:07.6 on Monday (Korea time) at the Biathlon Arena in Antholz-Anterselva, Italy, placing 85th among 89 competitors in the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics event. He was the only athlete from Asia in the field of 89. Biathlon combines cross-country skiing with rifle shooting and has been an Olympic sport since the 1992 Albertville Games. In the men’s 20km individual race, athletes ski 20 kilometers and shoot 20 rounds — five shots each in alternating prone and standing stages. Each missed target adds a 1-minute penalty, and final standings are determined by total time. Johannes Olav Botn of Norway, ranked No. 2 in the International Biathlon Union’s individual standings, won gold in 51:31.5 after hitting all 20 shots. Eric Perrot of France took silver in 51:46.3, and Norway’s Sturla Holm Laegreid won bronze in 52:19.8.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-11 02:24:00
  • South Korea’s Kim Gil-li Avoids Serious Injury After Mixed Relay Crash at Milan Olympics
    South Korea’s Kim Gil-li Avoids Serious Injury After Mixed Relay Crash at Milan Olympics South Korea short track skater Kim Gil-li (Seongnam City Hall) avoided a serious injury after a collision with a U.S. athlete in the mixed relay at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics, officials said. A national team official told Yonhap on Monday that Kim reported pain immediately after the race but was not expected to have major issues competing in her remaining events. “She should be able to compete normally in the remaining races,” the official said. Kim felt pain in her right arm after the crash, but it was not believed to prevent her from skating in upcoming races. Kim still has the women’s 3,000-meter relay and the 500, 1,000 and 1,500 meters left on her schedule at the Games. Kim, skating with Choi Min-jeong (Seongnam City Hall), Lim Jong-eon (Goyang City Hall) and Hwang Dae-heon (Gangwon Provincial Office), collided with U.S. skater Corinne Stoddard in the mixed 2,000-meter relay semifinal with eight laps remaining. Stoddard, who was skating ahead, slipped and fell, and Kim, close behind, crashed into her head-on and went down on the ice. South Korea fell behind after the collision and finished third, missing the final. Officials kept the results with no penalty assessed to the United States. South Korea filed an appeal seeking an advance based on a U.S. penalty, but the decision was not overturned. Kim did not skate in the B final because of pain, and Noh Do-hee (Hwaseong City Hall) replaced her.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-11 00:36:00
  • Defective Medals Reported at Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics as Ribbons Break, Awards Crack
    Defective Medals Reported at Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics as Ribbons Break, Awards Crack 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics medalists are reporting a rash of defective medals, with ribbons snapping and awards cracking after being dropped. On Feb. 8, U.S. alpine skier Breezy Johnson, the women’s downhill gold medalist, walked into a post-ceremony news conference wearing only the ribbon. Asked where the medal was, she pulled it from her pocket and said it was “broken,” adding, “I was so excited I was jumping up and down, and it suddenly just fell off.” According to USA TODAY and Germany’s Bild, Johnson’s case was not the first. German biathlete Justus Strelow said he noticed a crack after his mixed relay bronze medal separated from its ribbon and fell to the floor while he was celebrating at the team lodging. Sweden’s cross-country skier Ebba Andersson, a silver medalist, said, “The medal fell onto the snow and broke. I hope the organizing committee has a plan for broken medals.” Liu also highlighted the issue on social media after winning team event gold, posting a photo holding the medal and the ribbon separately and writing, “My medal doesn’t need a ribbon.” The medals were made by Italy’s state mint using recycled metal recovered from scrap, produced in a furnace powered by 100% renewable energy — described as the first such effort in Olympic history. With complaints growing, organizers said they are working on a response. Andrea Pracchi, the organizing committee’s chief operating officer, told a news conference on Feb. 9 that officials were aware of durability problems and had reviewed photos. “We are investigating the exact cause,” he said, adding that because it is “the most important issue for athletes,” organizers would “solve everything perfectly.” Similar concerns surfaced at the 2024 Paris Olympics, when hundreds of medals drew replacement requests. InsideTheGames reported in March last year that France’s mint, which oversaw production, received requests from 220 athletes to replace their medals — about 4% of the 5,084 medals awarded. The mint said replacement medals would receive a protective coating to improve durability. 2026-02-09 23:39:00
  • U.S. Figure Skater Amber Glenn Shuts Down Social Media After Online Threats at Milan Olympics
    U.S. Figure Skater Amber Glenn Shuts Down Social Media After Online Threats at Milan Olympics U.S. women’s singles figure skater Amber Glenn, a prominent voice for LGBTQ+ rights, said she has closed her social media accounts after a wave of online abuse and threats. After the United States won gold in the figure skating team event at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics at the Milan Ice Skating Arena, Glenn said she had recently received “frightening” threatening messages online. “I’ve just tried to live as myself and speak about basic human dignity and human rights, but it’s heartbreaking that so many people send messages of hate,” she said. Glenn added, “I will keep speaking the truth and standing up for the right to be free. I hope everyone keeps moving forward.” Glenn, who came out as bisexual in 2019, is widely seen as an LGBTQ+ icon in figure skating and has spoken out for greater rights and awareness on and off the ice. She wore an LGBTQ+ pin on the U.S. team jacket on Sunday. Ahead of the Olympics, Glenn criticized the Trump administration’s LGBTQ+ policies and drew attacks from some political groups and their supporters, including insults, mockery and threatening messages on social media. Glenn appeared unsettled in competition. In the women’s singles free skate, she made jump mistakes and placed third among five skaters. The U.S. still secured gold after Ilia Malinin, the final American skater, won the men’s singles free skate. Glenn said the cyberattacks had dampened some of her excitement about the Olympics, but added they did not affect her performance on Sunday. “I think I need to sleep well first,” she said. “I want to step away from all this chaos for a bit.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-09 22:27:00