Seoul: Two-term president of the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee (KSOC), Lee Kee-heung, has been granted eligibility to run for a third term, even after being suspended by the government over allegations of illegal practices and misdemeanors. The KSOC's Commission for Fair Play in Sport concluded on Tuesday that Lee could participate in the leadership election scheduled for January. Although the KSOC statutes normally limit the presidency to two terms, a third term is possible with endorsement from the Commission for Fair Play in Sport. According to Yonhap News Agency, Lee was suspended from his position following a government-led ethics inspection under the Office of Government Policy Coordination. The findings revealed that in 2022, Lee altered hiring guidelines to employ a friend of his daughter in national team dormitories and demoted those who opposed him. During the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, he distributed sponsored mobile phones valued at 17 million won ($12,078) to acquaintances. Additiona lly, he included five acquaintances as observers, whose travel expenses were covered by KSOC, during the Paris Olympiad. These actions contravened the fair play principles in sports. The government has requested a police investigation into Lee and six others for potential criminal misconduct, including embezzlement and negligence of duty. Despite these allegations, the KSOC subcommittee, whose 15 members were appointed by Lee, allowed him to pursue another term. The committee meeting was conducted privately, and its chair was a former adviser to Lee. In response to his suspension, Lee has boycotted legislative hearings by undertaking business trips and has filed for a court injunction and a lawsuit to challenge the administrative order. The issues surrounding Lee and the KSOC highlight significant problems within sports administration, characterized by stringent management and privatized operations. The outdated practices were exposed by An Se-young, a gold medalist in badminton at the Paris Olympics, who w as compelled to adhere to the association's rules and unfair contracts. Given the improbability of internal reform, a comprehensive police investigation is necessary to eliminate corrupt practices and establish a transparent system. Strengthening the sovereignty of the sports ethics center is also essential. The Sports Ministry, responsible for overseeing the KSOC, also requires scrutiny. The minister acknowledges the commission's overreach, but the ministry shares responsibility for the KSOC's mismanagement, which operates on over 400 billion won in taxpayer money annually. Notably, the ministry has not conducted any audits in the past six years.