A South Korean professional soccer team has been fined a record $82,000 and could be thrown out of its home stadium for using what some observers said were sex dolls to replace fans in an empty stadium during last Sunday's league match.
The K-League fined FC Seoul a league-record $100 million (Korean) won for placing about 20-25 life-size dolls – all wearing facing coverings with some dressed in team jerseys and others holding placards – in Seoul World Cup Stadium for its 1-0 victory over Gwangju, ESPN reported.
Some of the placards included the name of an adult toy manufacturer, which violates K-League rules on inappropriate or sexual advertisements.
The team apologized, saying a local company was hired to supply mannequins – not sex dolls – for the match, The Guardian reported. South Korean league teams have been playing in empty stadiums due to the worldwide novel coronavirus outbreak since May 8, when the K-League became the first soccer league to restart competition.
The issue came to light when television viewers remarked some of the figures resembled sex dolls.
"We are very sorry about the supporting mannequins that were placed during the game on May 17," the club said in a statement issued Monday. "These mannequins may have been made to look and feel like real humans, but they are not for sexual use – as confirmed by the manufacturer from the beginning.
"Our intention was to do something lighthearted in these difficult times. We will think hard about what we need to do to ensure that something like this never happens again."
The K-League said it accepted FC Seoul's explanation, but still issued the fine to the club for "damaging the prestige and integrity of the league."
The league said FC Seoul had plenty of time from the noon placement of the dolls until the evening kickoff to correct the error.
The team still could be tossed from its stadium.
The Kukmin Ilbo newspaper said Seoul Facilities Corporation, which operates Seoul World Cup Stadium, is investigating the incident for a lease violation. A company official said the club is required to obtain permission for any advertising in the arena and could be barred from the 66,000-capacity stadium.
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