Son Heung-min’s father has been found guilty of ‘violating child welfare law’ after abusing young players at his football academy.
Son Woong-jun was one of three coaches indicted on charges in August having been accused of physically and verbally abusing young players who are part of the Son Football Academy in South Korea.
The trio have now been found guilty by a South Korean court and ordered to pay a fine of 3 million won (£1,683) as well as complete 40 hours of child abuse treatment programs.
Woong-jung, 62, denied wrongdoing but issued an apology in which he said he would review the coaching methods at his academy.
The allegations were initially investigated in March after a parent of one of the children at the academy went to police with concerns.
They claimed their son had sustained injuries to his thigh area and required two weeks of treatment after he was struck with a corner flag by Heung-yun at a training camp in Okinawa, Japan, in March this year.
The youngster’s parents also allege that Woong-jung hurled profanities at players for making mistakes during those sessions.
Video footage showed Woong-jung kicking a player during a match and other coaches swearing at the children, according to reports.
Woong-jung, well-known in South Korea for his time as a professional player, previously admitted hitting a student with a corner flag for ‘coming last in a race’, for which he apologised but didn’t agree it amounted to ‘physical abuse’.
‘This incident was not corporal punishment but a mutually agreed event as part of fitness training,’ he said in a statement at the time, claiming the player was supposed to be ‘hit once’ on the thigh.
The Son Football Academy – which boasts six pitches, a classroom and a clubhouse – cost around £11 million to construct, according to The Athletic.
Son’s dad is credited with coaching and developing the now Tottenham captain when he was a youngster.
The Spurs forward has missed his side’s last three games with injury but will hope to make a return after the international break.
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