Weight Reduction Training That Killed Athletes

Having to participate in the upcoming 84th National Sports Festival, a high school wrestler died due to excessive efforts in trying to reduce his weight.

Kim Jong-du (age 17, 2nd year in North Jeolla Athletics High school), the representative wrestler of the North Jeolla region for the National Sports Festival, suddenly collapsed October 10 at 3p.m. while running at the outdoor gym of Dong Middle School in Jeonju city, North Jeolla in an effort to slim down. He collapsed after running 40 minutes wearing sweat suit, and he was transferred to the Hospital of North Jeolla University. However, he died on the morning of October 12.

Hospital officials said, “He was unconscious when he was admitted to the hospital, and he developed severe organ damage and went into a comma. He didn’t show any possibility of recovery, so the personnel in charge cut the oxygen provision tool at 8 a.m. Sunday with the family’s consent.”

“Mr. Kim appeared to have a shock out of dehydration while trying to reduce his weight irrationally,” said the hospital officials.

It is reported that Mr. Kim ran at the gym under the 27 degree Celsius hot weather in a sweat suit with one day left before the festival after realizing that his weight was 4-5 kg above the limit weight for his class.

Mr. Kim was a gold medal expectant at the festival with a history of brilliant performances, including winning the gold medals in the 2002 KBS National Wrestling Competition and the National Youth Festival during his middle school years. He was scheduled to participate in the Greco-Roman style wrestling game at the 46 kg class, which was held in Jeonju Gymnasium yesterday.

With the death of Mr. Kim, a controversy is expected to be raised over the loose athlete’s management system and the responsibility of leaders in athletics. In March 1999, a female judo player named Lee (18 years old) from ‘B’ high school located in Hwaseong city, Gyeonggi-do died of heatstroke after sweating herself under a blanket to recklessly reduce her weight several days before her match. In addition to that, in March 1996, a national judo athlete Jeong Se-hun (age 22, Young-In University) died of a heart attack while spending excessive hours in the sauna in an effort to lose weight at the National Athlete Squad Village in Taereung, Seoul.

kokim@donga.com