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Im Do-hun, head coach of the South Korean men's volleyball team, reacts to a play against Pakistan at the Asian Games volleyball tournament on Sept. 22 at China Textile City Sports Centre Gymnasium in Shaoxing on the western outskirts of Hangzhou, China. (Yonhap) |
The South Korean volleyball governing body announced Sunday it has parted ways with the head coaches of both the men's and women's national teams, in light of their disappointing performances at the 19th Asian Games in China.
The Korea Volleyball Association (KVA) said Im Do-hun, the men's coach, will not be brought back after his contract expired following his team's early exit from the Asian Games tournament in Hangzhou in late September.
For the women's team, Cesar Hernandez Gonzalez had been set to lead South Korea through the Paris Olympics next year. But with South Korea unlikely to qualify for the event, the KVA said it decided to terminate Gonzalez's contract by mutual consent.
The men's team was knocked out of medal contention during the preliminary stage, even before the opening ceremony on Sept. 24, and finished in seventh place -- the first time South Korea failed to win a men's volleyball medal in 61 years.
The women's team finished in fifth place, missing the podium for only the second time in Asiad history. This was the first Asian Games where South Korea didn't win a medal in either men's or women's volleyball.
The KVA said it will start drawing up long-term plans to prepare for the 2028 and 2032 Olympics, and will also host a public hearing next month to gather the opinions of volleyball fans and experts on how to improve the national team programs. (Yonhap)
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