South Korean players apologize for mishandling Chinese football trophy

The coach and players of a South Korean under-18s football team apologized early on Thursday after a player stepped on a trophy following the team's win at the Panda Cup International Youth Football Tournament, an international friendly competition hosted by China.

The South Korean team apologized on Thursday, May 30, 2019 for making insulting gestures towards the trophy for the Panda Cup International Youth Football Tournament after their win in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. [Screenshot: China Plus]

The organizing committee of the Panda Cup said it had decided to disqualify the South Korean team from the championship.

The team beat China 3-0 on Wednesday, winning the competition in the city of Chengdu. Following the win, a photographer posted a photo on Weibo showing members of the South Korean team gathering around one of their players who had his foot on the trophy. The photographer said some of the team members gestured as if they were urinating on the trophy.

A member of the South Korean team steps on the trophy as other members of the team gather around him after they won this year's Panda Cup International Youth Football Tournament in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. [Photo: Weibo]

The organizing committee of the Panda Cup had urged the South Korean team to apologize for their poor behavior, and said it had lodged a protest with the Korea Football Association (KFA). And the Chengdu Football Association (CFA) has hinted that South Korea would not be invited to the annual tournament again.

The South Korean team apologized on Thursday, May 30, 2019 for making insulting gestures towards the trophy for the Panda Cup International Youth Football Tournament after their win in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. [Screenshot: China Plus]

The South Korean coach and players publicly apologized on Thursday. "We apologize for the situation. One of our players made a huge mistake and, again, we're really sorry for the mistake. We humbly apologize to all of the fans and players, and also to the people in China," said the team. "We hope to keep a good relationship between the CFA and KFA."

The Chinese Football Association has denounced the behavior of the South Korean team and reported the incident to the Asian Football Confederation.