K League 2 Asan, South Chungcheong Province, red uniform and flag Suspected violation of political neutrality
Before the game, Governor Kim Tae-heum and Asan Mayor Park Kyung-gwi held an election campaign. Professional Football League demands Asan, South Chungcheong Province to submit a police report
South Chungcheong Asan players wearing red uniforms before the home opener
The Korea Professional Football League requested professional soccer K-League 2 Asan, South Chungcheong Province, which is suspected of 'indirect campaigning,' to submit an investigation report.
A federation official said on the 12th, "Based on the contents of the game supervisor's report, we requested the South Chungcheong Asan club to submit a report the day before."
The federation suspects that South Chungcheong Asan violated its obligation to remain politically neutral in the 2024 season home opener against Bucheon FC held at Asan Yi Sun-sin Stadium in South Chungcheong Province on the 9th.
Chungnam Asan wore the red third uniform, newly released this season, instead of the existing blue home uniform in the home opening game.
On this day, South Chungcheong Province Governor Kim Tae-heum and Asan Mayor Park Kyung-gwi from the People Power Party visited the stadium, and according to the federation report, three or four political parties held election campaign activities outside the stadium before the game.
In addition, it was learned that the club distributed red cheering equipment and flags to Asan Chungcheongnam supporters and encouraged them to respond by waving them.
The federation said, "The third uniform was approved in advance by the federation. Uniforms are an area that clubs can freely produce as long as they do not deviate from the federation's regulations," but believed that encouraging a positive response by handing out red cheering equipment could be problematic.
Chungnam Asan Supporters Armada official statement
Chungnam Asan Supporters Armada also issued a statement and protested against the club.
Armada said, "There was news that the third uniform would be worn in the home opening game, and the away uniform (white) instead of the blue home uniform was attached to street banner photos around Yi Sun-sin Stadium, and the team color 'blue+' was used in promotional material for the club both online and offline. "The 'yellow' combination disappeared and gradually began to turn red," he claimed.
He continued, "On the morning of the home game, we were asked to use the red flag produced by the club, but we clearly expressed our opposition. Not only was there no prior agreement, but the design did not match the team colors."
When Armada was asked by the club to use a red flag during the game, they put up a protest banner that they had prepared in advance.
Armada emphasized that around halftime, they agreed to take down the protest banner if the club retrieved the red flag, but some provincial office employees acted somewhat radically and threateningly by requesting the banner be removed.
The South Chungcheong Asan club said it was unfair to raise suspicions that it had violated its obligation to political neutrality.
The color red is not intended for a specific political party, but is a color symbolizing Admiral Yi Sun-sin, the hero of Asan.
The club unveiled the 2024 season uniform on the 23rd of last month and said, "To commemorate the Seongwoong Yi Sun-sin Festival, which has been held in Asan City for over 60 years, and to inherit the spirit of responsibility of Admiral Yi Sun-sin's 'Immediate Death and Immediate Death', the uniform is based on the red color of the actual Admiral Yi Sun-sin's uniform. "We subtly inserted the shape of a general's sword to convey the players' grit and desperation," he said.
The club explained that the red uniform is not a third uniform, but only one of two types of 2024 season home uniforms, and will be mainly sold as a special uniform or to commemorate the Seongwoong Yi Sun-sin Festival to be held next month.
He also announced that he plans to wear the blue uniform more often at home.
The report requested by the Federation has been completed and will be submitted soon. 19가이드03
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