SWIMMING AT THE 2018 ASIAN GAMES

August 19th-24th, 2018

Jakarta, Indonesia

Schedule & Results

The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee has accused a female Chinese swimmer of assaulting a female South Korean swimmer during Asian Games warm-ups on Thursday, August 23rd. According to Korean news outlet Yonhap, South Korea’s Kim Hye-jin was ‘physically attacked’ by an unnamed female Chinese swimmer at the Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) Sports Arena in Jakarta, site of the ongoing Games.

Per the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee (KSOC), Kim accidentally hit the Chinese swimmer’s face, but the Chinese athlete then later kicked Kim. The pair wound up being separated by South Korean and Chinese coaches to prevent any further escalation.

As later reported in Yonhap, the Chinese staff apologized to the South Korean athletes and coaches at the scene and later visited the South Korean delegation at the athletes’ village to issue an additional apology.

“Two swimmers had quarrel after they had physical contact,” a KSOC official said. “Kim apologized first, but apparently the Chinese athlete couldn’t understand what she said and assaulted her.

“It’s something that happens frequently between swimmers during training and the Chinese player’s coach has apologized.”

Kim placed 5th in the women’s 100m back here in Jakarta.

The incident brings back the memory of Chinese champion Sun Yang‘s physical altercation with Brazilian swimmer Larissa Oliveira in the Kazan warm-up pool during the 2015 World Championships. The Brazilian coaching staff reported seeing Sun trying to kick and elbow Oliveira after a collision in the warm-up pool during prelims. SunFINA ultimately decided that no furether action was required in the incident, with president Cornel Marculescu blaming it on overcrowded pool conditions.