Second N. Korean Disqualified for Doping

Earlier, I reported that North Korean pistol-shooter Kim Jong-Su had been stripped of two medals,  one silver and  one bronze, for doping.  The banned drugs Kim took were beta-blockers, which suppress anxiety that  can make a shooter jittery.  Now, a second North Korean shooter, Kim Hyon-Ung, has been disqualified:

“Kim Hyon-Ung was barred from participating in the Games after it became known belatedly that he failed a doping test carried out during the Asian championships,” the official said.

“North Korean officials at that time claimed that Kim Hyon-Ung had taken some medicine for illness and this might have caused him to fail the test,” he said.  [AFP]

The second Kim’s  history was reexamined because of the scrutiny brought down by the first Kim.  They’re now going home to an uncertain future for themselves and their families. 

My home state is an indirect beneficiary of Kim Jong Su’s disqualification —  Shelby, South Dakota farmer Brian Beaman now moves up to fourth place.

Does anyone else agree that the greater cause of peace demands  that we  write special rules to allow the North Koreans to play even if they cheat, or is that something we only do  with trivial things like nuclear proliferation, international kidnapping, and money laundering?

2 Responses

  1. You have to pity these men to a certain extent, it sounds like they could face a far worse punishment for doping then just losing metals.