Retired South Korean baseball star Lee Yeo-sang accused of selling drugs to teenagers he coached as anti-doping crackdown continues
- Lee, 35, allegedly administered anabolic steroids, growth hormone, testosterone and other drugs to seven teenagers
- Many young players hoping to secure sports scholarships or a place on a professional roster attend coaching academies operated by retired stars
A retired South Korean professional baseball player has been arrested for injecting and selling banned performance-enhancing drugs to teenagers training at his private academy, authorities confirmed on Wednesday.
Lee Yeo-sang began his career with Samsung Lions in 2007, transferred to Hanwha Eagles then Lotte Giants before retiring in 2017. He is the latest casualty in a sweeping three-month crackdown on illegal drugs and doping carried out by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.
Lee, 35, allegedly administered anabolic steroids, growth hormone, testosterone and other drugs to seven teenagers on the promise it would help them play at college or professional levels.
He charged 3 million won (US$2,500) for a steroid cycle lasting four to eight weeks – about 15 times the street price – and pocketed 160 million won in profits in the past year.
“He told us that the drugs were good for health and pro players use them as they are not harmful,” a father of one of the teenagers told South Korean radio.
Lee injected drugs to the teenagers at his baseball academy in Seoul or had them swallow pills, disguising them as protein supplements or restorative drugs.
South Korea is home to 10 professional teams and baseball is the country’s most popular sport.
Many young players hoping to secure sports scholarships or a place on a professional roster attend coaching academies operated by retired stars. There are about 50 such academies in Seoul alone.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety launched a crackdown on steroid abuse earlier this year after a body builder confessed to injecting steroids 18 times a day.
“We’ve so far ferreted out tens of people including body builders, baseball players, drug suppliers, doping instructors,” said Yu Myeong-jong, an investigator at the ministry.
Results of the investigation are expected to be announced next month.