The KIA Tigers have suspended manager Kim Jong-kook as the team prepares to depart for spring training in Australia.
“On the 25th, we confirmed that manager Kim Jong-kook is under investigation by the investigative authorities, and on the 27th, we confirmed this in a meeting with him,” KIA said in a press release on the 28th.
“The club decided that he could not fulfill his duties as a coach normally while the investigation is ongoing, so we suspended him.” “The final residence of the coach will be decided after observing the investigation situation, 토토사이트 and the first team spring training will be conducted under the system of head coach Jin Gap-yong,” the club added.
The club did not disclose the exact details of the investigation
But Kim is reportedly suspected of receiving money. Kim has been with the Tigers for 26 years, from player to coach. He was promoted from assistant coach to head coach after the 2021 season. He led the team to a fifth-place finish in 2022 and missed the postseason in 2023. In his third season, he was involved in a scandalous affair that led to the biggest crisis of his baseball career.
Kia will begin training camp on Feb. 1 in Canberra, Australia, and will travel to Okinawa, Japan, for a second camp on Feb. 21. Kim was scheduled to leave for Sydney on Feb. 29 with his coaches. The 47 players will depart a day later on Feb. 30. 안전 토토사이트 This is the first time KIA has been without a head coach just one day before departure.
The team has been touted as a top-tier power after a strong off-season reinforcement. The unexpected turn of events has left the team in a state of disarray for the 2024 camp. While the team will continue to center on head coach Jin Gap-yong as announced, it is expected that the team will make an early decision on the departure of coach Kim Jong-guk in order to resolve the situation early.