 |
| Photo = Korean Professional Football League |
|
 |
| Photo = Korean Professional Football League |
|
Pohang Steelers has officially raised an objection to Gwangju FC's registration and participation as an unqualified player, which was disciplined by FIFA for failing to pay solidarity contributions.
In a phone call with Sports Chosun on the 19th, a Pohang official raised an objection to the Korea Professional Football Federation regarding Gwangju's participation as an unqualified player at the club. The goal has also been sent to the federation," he said.
 |
| Photo = Korean Professional Football League |
|
Gwangju was recently embroiled in a controversy over the failure to pay Asani's solidarity contribution, which he hired in 2023. Solidarity contributions are the amount paid when a professional player moves internationally to a team in another country before the contract expires, and FIFA ordered Gwangju to pay about $3,100 (about 4.3 million won) in solidarity contributions to former Asani teams. There were two requests, but FIFA decided that Gwangju had not paid for it and put it on the list of prohibited registration. As it was put on the list, it was pointed out that Gwangju will take effect from December 17, 2024.
If the chronological salary was paid, the disciplinary action would be lifted immediately. However, the payment was not made immediately. Gwangju said it had tried to pay since August last year, but it was returned when the virtual account was closed. Since then, the resignation and leave of absence of the person in charge of the task have overlapped, and time has passed in a state where the supply and demand work has not been properly handled. It seems that the handover has not been done properly.
The biggest problem is that the transfer market opened after the disciplinary action, and Gwangju recruited players from the transfer market. Gwangju, which newly recruited 10 players, including Hayes, Ju Se-jong, Jin Si-woo, Min Sang-ki, Hwang Jae-hwan, Park In-hyuk, Park Jung-in, Kwon Sung-yoon, Yoo Je-ho and Kwak Sung-hoon, included a large number of players in the squad that should not have been recruited if they had known about the ban.
 |
| Photo = Korean Professional Football League |
|
Gwangju has already played in the K-League and Champions League stages as transfer players have already been included in the Asian Champions League squad. It has played 16 official games, including 14 league games. After the controversy, Gwangju's first game was the 14th round match between Pohang and Gwangju 'Hana Bank K League 1 2025'. In that match, Pohang lost 0-1 to Gwangju. In addition, Pohang confirmed that some of the Gwangju players, who could be judged as unqualified, participated in the game and decided to file an official objection.
If the objection is accepted, there is a possibility that the result will change due to Gwangju's 0-3 forfeiture. According to Chapter 3, Article 33 (2) of the Federation Regulations, if an objection is raised by the other club within 48 hours of the end of the game because an unqualified player is found to have played in an official game during or after the game, the club in which the unqualified player played shall be deemed to have lost 0-3. This game can also be regarded as a forfeited loss of a team played by an unqualified player regardless of the actual result of the game.
 |
| Photo = Korean Professional Football League |
|
However, if it is a general matter, the federation will review the matter through the legal team and immediately decide whether to hold a reward and punishment committee after filing an objection, but it will be difficult for the federation to take action immediately because the Korea Football Association, which conducts player registration after judging the qualifications of domestic soccer players, said it is too much to judge them as unqualified players.
The Korea Football Association said in an official statement on the 16th that `This issue was caused by an unintentional administrative mistake, so it is difficult to judge the players in Gwangju who have played in the game so far as 'unqualified players'.
For now, FIFA's judgment is expected to determine the situation. Gwangju also paid unpaid solidarity contributions and fines, and is waiting for FIFA's decision. The federation has also received an official letter of objection from Pohang and is reviewing it.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
