Taekwondo coach wants citizenship
Choi mulls options despite medal haul
South Korea’s Choi Young Seok may quit as Thailand’s taekwondo coach due to citizenship issues.
Choi and his three Thai fighters arrived from the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro to a warm welcome at Suvarnabhumi airport yesterday.
At the Rio Games, Tawin Harnprab took silver and Panipak Wongpattanakit claimed bronze for the country’s best ever Olympic campaign in the Korean martial art.
The Kingdom have won five Olympic medals in taekwondo since Choi became coach of the national team in 2002.
He reiterated yesterday that he wanted Thai citizenship. The Taekwondo Association of Thailand (TAT) has helped him in the matter which is complicated as he has to relinquish his Korean citizenship to become a naturalised Thai.
“I love Thailand and want Thai citizenship. I want to be a citizen of both countries so it is a tough decision for me,” Choi said.
He said with a Thai passport it would be easier for him to work as coach of the Thai team.
“I want to buy a house here but I cannot do it [because he is a foreigner],” Choi said.
He said he had been approached by the World Taekwondo Federation to help develop the sport worldwide.
“I may join that organisation in the future,” said the 42-year-old coach.
“If I don’t get Thai citizenship, I may not remain as Thailand’s coach. I love Thailand but my stint as Thailand’s coach will end one day. If I get Thai citizenship, I will work and die here.”
TAT president Pimol Srivikorn said that despite failing to win a gold, the Rio campaign was great for his association.
It was the first time that Thailand have won more than one medal in taekwondo in a single Olympics while Tawin became the country’s first ever male medallist in the sport, Pimol said.
“I am proud of my three fighters in Rio. They fought to their best,” he said.
“They are still young and they will be great assets for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.”
Phannapa Harnsujin, the other Thai exponent in Rio, finished empty-handed.
The Sports Authority of Thailand yesterday approved a bonus package for the Olympic medallists through the National Sports Development Fund.
A gold medallist will receive 12 million baht, a silver medal winner 7.2 million baht and a third-placed athlete 4.8 million baht.
According to the scheme, 50 percent of the sum will be paid in cash and the rest will be paid over four years.
With Thailand winning two gold, two silver and two bronze medals in Rio, the medallists will get a total of 48 million baht.
Separately, the associations of the medallists will receive 30 percent of the sum their athletes have been awarded (a total of nine million baht) while the coaches will receive 20 percent (eight million baht).
The SAT will hand over 65 million baht in total bonus payments to the medallists, their associations and their coaches.
Also, unsuccessful athletes will get 100,000 baht each (480,000 baht in total).
Meanwhile, world No.2 golfer Ariya Jutanugarn and No.4 badminton player Ratchanok Intanon, who both failed to deliver at the Rio tournament, will each get one million baht for their personal achievements earlier this year.
Ariya has won four LPGA Tour titles this year including the Women’s British Open last month, while Ratchanok has claimed three consecutive Superseries events in April that sent her to the top of the world rankings.