Swimmer Park Tae-hwan says “all of my efforts just made me a junkie”

Posted on : 2015-03-28 15:27 KST Modified on : 2019-10-19 20:29 KST
After testing positive for a banned substance, swimmer officially apologizes; he is currently suspended from competition
 where he officially apologized to his fans and the Korean public for his doping scandal
where he officially apologized to his fans and the Korean public for his doping scandal

“All of my honors over the past 10 years have come to nothing,” Park Tae-hwan said, his voice trembling, “and all of my efforts just made me a junkie.” The swimmer was unable to keep going, on the verge of tears.

This man, whose eyes and nose were red from crying, was no longer an Olympic swimming hero. Park had ridden the waves for a while, but after being brought low by the “doping tsunami,” he was just a frail 26-year-old.

On Mar. 27, Park Tae-hwan held a press conference at the Jamsil Tourist Hotel in Seoul and officially apologized to his fans and the Korean public for the doping scandal. After making his way through a crowd of more than a hundred reporters with Woo Sang-yun, his lawyer, Park read through his written apology with a tense expression on his face.

“In the past, I have always been on point with you, greeting you with a smile. My heart is heavy and I am sorry that I must meet you today because of this scandal. I offer my sincere apology to the Korean people, who have always shown me their support,” Park said.

“Since doping is something I have been aware of every day since the 2004 Olympics, I could neither believe nor accept that this had happened. Aside from the question of intentionality, the very fact that an athlete who represents his country has caused a scandal is shameful. I deeply regret what I have done.”

“Since learning that my doping test came back positive last year, every day has been a living hell. Swimming has been my entire life. Thinking that I can’t swim anymore, I wished that I could take it all back. To my fans, I want to apologize for not coming clean at once.”

The moment that Park spoke about his honors coming to nothing and becoming a junkie, he lost his words, as if overcome by emotion.

Park also nearly broke into tears when he said, “My friends and family have encouraged me, but some people ask me what the point was since I was doping.”

“I will be discussing the question of my future plans with my family and with the swimming federation. My goals are not the Olympics or medals, but becoming a person I am not ashamed of. I have a debt to the public and to my fans that I will never be able to repay,” Park said.

When reporters asked him again about the future, Park said, “If given the chance, I am willing to endure hard training, but for now I think I should be focusing on reflection.”

“There were people who were there for me when I was so lonely and having such a hard time that I wanted to die. I am sincerely grateful to the president and director of the swimming federation and to other people in the sport,” Park said.

Park also apologized for the pain felt by his teammates when the medal they had won during the Incheon Asian Games was revoked. He named each of the junior swimmers in turn: “Seongwan, Gyu-cheol, Gyu-ung, I’m sorry,” he said.

Park also spoke about the injection of Nebido at a skin-care clinic in July 2014, which caused the positive result in the test for banned substances.

“Several times, I said that I couldn’t take any banned substances, and each time the doctor told me that the injection wouldn’t be a problem. I didn’t realize that I had taken a hormone injection until after the doping test came back positive,” Park said.

This past January, Park filed a complaint against the director of the hospital for giving him an injection without adequately explaining its side effects and problems. The prosecutors booked the director without detention for malpractice.

 Mar. 27. (by Shin So-young
Mar. 27. (by Shin So-young

By Kim Chang-geum, staff reporter

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