The Korea Sports Council has decided to create and award custom medals to qualifying and reserve athletes who were unable to receive official medals due to competition regulations at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
On September 28, the council announced, "To honor the efforts of qualifying and reserve athletes who participated in events such as swimming and team competitions but did not receive medals due to tournament rules, we will produce and present medals identical to the actual Asian Games medals."
This situation arose when the organizing committee arbitrarily applied a rule that does not award medals to athletes who did not compete in the finals, unlike other international competitions. Kim Min-seop of the Korean swimming team contributed to his team's advancement to the finals in the men's 400m relay (silver medal) and 800m relay (bronze medal) but did not receive a physical medal because he did not compete in the finals.
In an interview with reporters shortly after winning a bronze medal in the men's 200m butterfly on September 25, Kim expressed disappointment, saying, "The team won medals in two relay events, but I was saddened to hear that qualifying athletes do not receive medals in this tournament."
Additionally, the council plans to award a commemorative medal for participation to all team members and coaches who did not win medals, and to produce and present leader medals in the same color as the medals won by the athletes for the coaches of the medal-winning events.
Performance awards will also be given. One athlete selected as the Most Valuable Player (MVP) by media votes will receive a cash prize of 30 million won. Furthermore, three additional awards will be given: the 'Skill Development Award' for athletes who have shown significant improvement, the 'Fighting Spirit Award' for those who have overcome injuries and limitations, and the 'Leadership Award' for coaches who have achieved outstanding results through exceptional leadership, each with a cash prize of 10 million won.
Yoo Seung-min, president of the Korea Sports Council, stated, "The priority in all international multi-sport events, including the Olympics and Asian Games, should always be the athletes, followed by the coaches who sweat alongside them. Athletes must be able to focus solely on their competitions in the most comfortable and safe environment, but there were many disappointments regarding the conditions and operations at this tournament, which is regrettable."
He added, "Regardless of the presence of medals, the efforts of the athletes and coaches who poured everything into representing South Korea should be recognized in their own right. I hope this support and recognition will provide motivation and encouragement to the team, and we will continue to listen to the voices from the field to provide comprehensive support to athletes and coaches."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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