Political Bloodsport: Audits That Devour Sports
I was dead certain that this so-called quest for truth—from the 2018 baseball National Assembly audit to the 2024 football one—wouldn't end in some fairy-tale happy ending, no matter what.
The chat window was spiraling into pure madness.
Before long, the brief flicker of rational air vanished like a mirage. Even though facts and logic pointed straight to the truth, this was still a political arena at heart.
No sooner had Ma Councilor's questioning wrapped up than the next politician snatched the mic like he'd been waiting his whole life. He bellowed reprimands, face twisted like things weren't going his way.
"Witness Lee Jinhak! Witness Kim Myeonggyu! Looks like you're under some delusion!"
The councilor slammed his palm on the desk repeatedly as he spoke.
"No issues with procedure? Legally clean? Is that what matters right now! With public opinion boiling over like this! The people raising suspicions about the coach selection process! Is betraying that opinion the right call? Does your so-called 'expertise' trump the fury of our citizens?!"
Then Park Councilor took the baton, roaring next.
"Witnesses! Are you ignoring the people right now? If the public says no, it's no! You gonna keep mocking the nation, giggling among yourselves playing your little soccer game? Think this is your playground? Legislative branch a joke to you?!"
The tirades didn't stop. Respect for expertise evaporated, replaced by endless nitpicking. They trotted out the "people's shield" on questions too absurd to answer, twisting sports into national politics. Treating us like traitors who'd betrayed the nation. Me, Lee Jinhak, Yoon Seungwoo—we were the sinners here. Councilors as the people's reps, so surely the public thought the same. No surprise, nothing unpredictable. Though I hadn't expected a few to actually get it right.
"Don't think a clean procedure gives you a free pass—deluded fools! How's betraying public opinion a good deed? Ignoring the people's voice in a democracy—what kind of public institution does that?!"
Round and round the same bellows. Logic jammed? Whip out the almighty "public opinion" shield again. Smart in a way. Shameless too. Anyway, most of this questioning and answering would go unnoticed, barely make the papers. Truth left in fragments. Who sits through an entire audit? Who even cares about the real story? Who gives a shit if it's "important"? If it mattered, we wouldn't be here. That's why they can keep yelling unchecked. Watching these reckless politicians dragged up memories of another sports audit.
2018 baseball National Assembly audit.
Korea's baseball legend, Coach Seon, hauled into the audit chamber—that infamous fiasco. Right after an Asian Games gold, riding the wave of "unfair selection" outrage, politicians butchered sports. The scene overlapped with this one, chills down my spine.
Back then, councilors who couldn't spell "baseball" shoved player stats in faces, hurling insults at a legendary pitcher. It became the poster child for politics ruining sports; the coach resigned in disgrace.
What the hell was different now?
Why do politicians itch to meddle in sports? Obvious reason.
Sports is sensational, draws massive crowds. Spoon a bit of public outrage, and suddenly you're a justice crusader—perfect material. Facts? Sports nuances? Irrelevant. Toss a sacrificial lamb to the angry mob, pocket votes, secure your seat. Done.
To them, audits weren't truth hunts but vote-grubbing shows fueled by public rage. Sports? Best bang for buck.
Way easier to go viral than econ policy or diplomacy—slam a famous coach or player, boom, headlines everywhere. Scream "justice" a few times, snag the "hardworking rep" badge, lock in election votes.
Truth? Who cares. Coach competent? Process fair? Backburner. All that matters: public's pissed, and you're the one beating the piñata for them. That violence, swinging ignorance behind the "public opinion" shield.
Now I fully got it—the desolate loneliness that Korean baseball legend must've felt, dragged to slaughter like a dog in that 2018 audit. This suffocating? Truth irrelevant, so why the rage? Same with the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics team pursuit mess. Whole nation hounded the skater over "bullying laps." Turned out bullshit, sparked bigger scandals, but in public memory? Just another national fuckup. Did the mob apologize? Reflect? Nah, results later don't count.
I lifted my head, staring straight at the councilors glaring at me. Their eyes, lost in the delusion of "justice" wielding power—pathetic.
What should we think when "public opinion" is always assumed right? And with that, the questioning ended.
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Audit night, Man City had a match.
England, Manchester's Etihad Stadium. Commentators checking the lineup tossed out remarks as kickoff neared.
- Manchester City vs. Burnley in the Premier League. About to start. But one's missing from today's roster.
The caster's words prompted Peter the pundit beside him to chuckle dryly, flipping papers.
- Ryan, right? No injury, no suspension. Get this—he's at the Korean National Assembly right now.
- National Assembly? Unheard of for a Prem player mid-season. Some crime involvement?
- Nah. Apparently voiced opinions on his national team's coach hiring.
- Unbelievable. Korea really is squeaky clean. Manchester City 4 - 0 Burnley.
Man City demolished Burnley without me, like my absence was nothing.
Pep Guardiola, face sharper than usual, fielded press questions. Mine came up too.
"Big win today without Ryan. Feel his absence?"