On February 20 in Pyeongchang, a short track competition was held in a 500 meter distance. They involved North Korean athlete Jong Kwang-bom: the athlete was invited to the Olympics after the talks between the DPRK and South Korea.
During the first start, Kwang-bong managed to pass only a few meters, after which he lost his balance. During the fall, he made a movement with his hand, as if he was trying to grab the rider of Japanese athlete Ryosuke Sakazume.
ショートトラック競技で日本選手をコケさせようとする北朝鮮選手 pic.twitter.com/yAMlmNrGVq
— netgeek (@netgeek_0915) February 20, 2018
The judges decided to start the race again. But the restart did not help the athlete from the DPRK – in half a round he collided with the same Sakazuma and fell again. Yong Kwan-boma was disqualified for a dangerous maneuver. According to USA Today, the 17-year-old skater for two races stayed on the ice without falling just a few seconds.
Some users of social networks said that the North Korean deliberately tried to remove the competitor from the race. However, after the arrival, Sakazume suggested that the movement of the hand was unintentional. Kwan-bom refused to talk with the medi