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International coach beats up player

The Korean Olympic Committee wants national volleyball coach Lee Sang-yeol to face criminal charges after a badly bruised player held a news conference to accuse Lee of beating him up.

The KOC also said in a statement that South Korea head coach Kim Ho-chul should be dismissed for allowing the incident to happen and said it was determined to eradicate violence in sport.

The Korea Volleyball Association then announced it had sacked Kim and replaced him with another member of the coaching staff.

Korean international Park Chul-woo had appeared at a news conference on Friday sporting heavy bruising on his face and marks on his rib cage and said Lee had beaten him while his team mates looked on.

"After a meeting with KVA Chairman Lee Jun-pyo and KOC Secretary General Choi Jong-jun present to discuss the use of violence in Park's case, we have decided to ask Nowon district police to file charges against Lee Sang-yeol," the KOC said.

The KOC added it had met earlier this month to discuss measures aimed at cracking down on such violence in Korean sport and was determined to stamp it out completely.

Lee was suspended indefinitely following Park's news conference on Friday. The left side of Park's face was heavily marked and the 24-year-old also pulled up his T-shirt to reveal bruises on his abdomen.

"I was assaulted by coach Lee ... on Thursday after a national team practice at the National Training Center," Park said.

"Lee punched and kicked me in the face and body for no clear reason. I have been left with symptoms of a concussion and ringing in my ear."

Park was left out of the team for the September 26-October 5 Asian Men's Volleyball Championships in the Philippines.