Sobering fact: Korean coach ‘can’t drink well’
To err is human.
To have your superiors release a statement explaining your mistake that is so awesome it makes your screwup almost seem acceptable is divine.
That might be the case with Lee Jae-cheol.
According to The Mirror, the South Korean sailing coach has been sent home from the Olympics after he was arrested for driving drunk in Wednesday's wee hours.
Lee had attended a banquet hosted by the mayor of Weymouth, Dorset, England, home of the sailing events for the games, and was pulled over while returning to the athletes' village.
The South Korea Sailing Federation issued an apology and confirmed the coach had been sent home as a punishment for his actions, acknowledging he had drank beer and wine at the party.
Then came this:
"It is true that Lee, who can't drink well, was caught drunk driving when he was returning alone to the athletes' village at 5 a.m. for training after sleeping for some time to get sober at the federation's own place outside the village."
It's clear Lee can drink just fine. It's the judging of how long he needs to sleep to get sober where he struggles.
■ OLYMPIC SPIRIT? - Whoever scheduled Friday's practice sessions for the Olympic judo teams hasn't paid attention to global politics for the last, oh, say, since World War II.
Israel's and Lebanon's teams were to use the same gym and mats simultaneously Friday, a situation that didn't sit well with the Lebanese coach. He demanded the teams be separated, so organizers constructed a barrier to make two separate practice areas.
The Times of Israel reported Lebanon agreed to practice only after ensuring the Israeli team would be out of sight.
Seems like an easy fix.
Who knew a giant curtain could solve decades of violence and bitter hatred.
■ COOL IT NOW - The sweltering London heat could wreak havoc on the swimming events, as the water in the aquatic center is still above the mandated limit.
But at least the athletes can cool off in their dorms. Well, the British athletes can.
Only the host country athletes' dorms have air conditioning, perhaps giving them the advantage they might need to move up the medals table this time around.
It also might give the British athletes a leg up in the notorious hookup bonanza that is the Olympic village.
No pickup line can compare to having one of the only air-conditioned rooms during a heat wave.
■ FAUX PAS - The Egyptian Olympic Committee apparently chose a vendor to supply all uniforms and equipment that provided the Egyptian athletes counterfeit Nike gear.
According to The Telegraph, synchronized swimmer Yomna Khallaf confirmed the problem on Twitter, indicating her bag had a Nike swoosh on the front but zippers featuring the adidas logo.
She also said the athletes have tried to rectify the problem by digging into their pockets to purchase genuine apparel "so that we can look okay not even good."
A Nike spokesperson issued a statement on the matter, expressing the company's concern that "the athletes will have received products that do not meet Nike's quality standards."
Yeah, that. No concern about missing out on the profit.
At least we know Nike's heart is real.
COMPILED BY ADAM HILL
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
