STUDENT ATHLETES CONCERNED OVER COLLEGE EXAMS

[Anchor Lead]

School sports teams are now able to start group training as students return to school. But student athletes getting ready for college are still worried about their college prospects.

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​Energetic shouts echo the field. High school soccer players started group training after the seniors returned to classrooms last month.

[Soundbite] HAN HYEONG-BIN(BUGYEONG HIGH SCHOOL) : "It's nice to see them in school but I'm worried because we had such a long break."

There's growing concern about college admission. Football players need to win medals in national competitions, but their chances have grown slimmer as matches in the first half of the year have all been pushed to July and August.

[Soundbite] HONG SEONG-WOOK(BUGYEONG HIGH SCHOOL) : "I wish COVID-19 would disappear and all I have to worry about is going to college or going pro."

Athletes in other disciplines face similar problems. National competitions have all been postponed to the latter part of this year. This could negatively impact the students in meeting the requirements for college admission. If there is a resurgence of COVID-19, leading to subsequent delays or cancellations of competitions in the latter half of the year, the admission process for student athletes itself should be reassessed. But the bigger problem is that for now, there is no viable solution.

[Soundbite] AHN SEON-JIN(HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL COACH) : "The football association or the government must devise and implement necessary measures. What we want is for the pandemic to be contained so the athletes can train and compete actively."

National competitions for each sporting event is scheduled to open this month, starting with the Golden Lion Flag high school baseball tournament on June 11th. But concerns over the virus still remain. The Ministry of Education, the ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism as well as the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation and make necessary changes to help student athletes.