S. Korean sailing coach sent home after DUI near London

LONDON -- A South Korean sailing team coach has been sent home after being fined by local police for driving under the influence of alcohol, officials here said Wednesday.

South Korean officials said the coach, surnamed Lee, was stopped by police in Weymouth, south of London, at round 5 a.m. Wednesday. Weymouth will host sailing competitions during the July 27-Aug. 12 Olympics, and South Korean sailors and coaches are staying in the area.

Officials said Lee was fined 400 British pounds ($620) for his transgression. They said Lee had a few glasses of wine at dinner the night before and took a nap at a friend's home for a few hours before hitting the road.

Lee Kee-heung, head of the South Korean delegation here, convened an emergency disciplinary committee and decided to send the coach back to Seoul.

"Regardless of the severity of the offense, it was a reprehensible act that had an adverse effect on the honor and morale of the national team," an official said. "We wanted to punish the coach to send a message to others." (Yonhap News)