Posted on 01/16/2006 2:24:45 AM PST by martin_fierro
Cheeky fencer foiled in bid for team
By Lee Jin-joo Fri Jan 13, 9:41 AM ET
SEOUL (Reuters) - One of South Korea's top women fencers was dropped from the country's national team because she underwent plastic surgery that included receiving cheek implants, local media reported.
Nam Hyun-hee, a top foil fencer, had cosmetic surgery in December on her eyes to fix a problem that meant her eyelashes were bothering her vision, reports said.
Along with the eye surgery, she also decided to have a little work done on her cheeks to increase their amplitude, South Korean media reported. The cosmetic surgery was not approved by her coaches or the country's fencing federation, reports said.
The cheek surgery caused her to miss several days of practice because of a swollen face. This angered her coaches and South Korean fencing officials who said she should not have put improving her personal appearance ahead of her commitment to the team.
"We have to be more strict in the management of our athletes. For instance, what are other athletes thinking when a fellow athlete is lounging around because of plastic surgery?," Oh Wan-gun, the director of the Korean Fencing Federation said by telephone Friday.
Nam could not immediately be reached for comment.
The fencing federation has kicked Nam off the national squad for two years, officials said, adding they are still looking into the matter.
Nam has asked to be reinstated more quickly so that she can be on the team for this year's Asian Games and be in good shape for the 2008 Olympics, reports said.
South Korea's Nam Hyun-hee concentrates in the womens fencing individual foil competition at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games August 18, 2004. Nam was dropped from the country's national team because she underwent plastic surgery that included receiving cheek implants, local media has reported. REUTERS/Tony Gentile
It's easy to see why.
Oh Shut Up.
They're a touche-y bunch.
Trying to see the downside here.
Curses, foiled again!!!
On the other hand, North Korea fencing team practices with Barbed Wire Fencing.
They made her nose bigger so she could have PICK IT Fencing.
GREAT photo!
That's what I came for!
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