ROK skater faces one-year ban

SEOUL, Jul 10 (AP): South Korea's skating body has decided to ban two-time Olympic speed skating champion Lee Seung-hoon for a year over allegations that he assaulted two teammates during several international competitions.

An official from the Korea Skating Union said Wednesday that Lee has denied the accusations and will likely appeal to South Korea's Olympic Committee by next Monday's deadline.

The official from the skating union says it gathered third-person accounts and other evidence before its governing committee concluded that Lee abused the two unidentified teammates at hotels and restaurants while they competed in international events in 2011, 2013 and 2016. The official did not want to be named, citing office rules.

Lee won gold medals at the men's 10,000 meters race at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.