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North Korea Claim Lightning Strike Behind Poor Performance Vs. USWNT

by Graham MacAree • Jun 28, 2011 4:47 PM EDT

Losing 2-0 to the United States in the Women's World Cup isn't exactly an international embarrassment, especially if you're North Korea and thus not particularly good at the sport in the first place. It's curious, then, that North Korea's head coach Kim Kwang Min would point to a lightning strike earlier in the month as the explanation behind the reverse.

Kim claimed that at least five of his players were injured badly enough to be sent to the hospital following the incident, which took place during training on June 8th:

On the 8th of June our players were hit by lightning. More than five were hospitalised. The goalkeeper and the four strikers were most affected and some midfielders as well. The strength of our players not sufficient [after the lightning strike] so our strategy could not be implemented.

The doctors said players were not capable of participating in the tournament, but until the very last minute they gave their best. The fact that they played could be called abnormal - the result of a very strong will.

Nobody's really sure whether this story is true or not, but if coach Kim isn't telling porkies - and it's hard to see why he'd invent the story of his players being hit by lightning during practice - it would clearly have a huge effect on the team if half the players were having to deal with recuperation from said strike as well as a classy second period performance from the USA.

And if Kim is fibbing, this may just be the weirdest thing a coach has ever said to deflect attention away from both his performance and how his team played on the day.

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Comments

more proof (as if proof were needed!)...

that God is an American

by As_Reb on Jun 28, 2011 5:05 PM EDT reply actions

It is a weird thing to say

However, maybe the excuse was directed at a certain Great-Leader, who more than likely has some unreasonable expectations. I didn’t get to watch match, but did N Korea once again hire Chinese actors to cheer for their side?

by ATX_BLUES on Jun 28, 2011 5:19 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

That thought did cross my mind

by Graham MacAree on Jun 28, 2011 5:27 PM EDT up reply actions

yup in the last (mens) World Cup

I think the coach and one or two players ended up in hard labor camps after their poor showing

by As_Reb on Jun 28, 2011 7:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Nobody’s really sure whether this story is true or not, but if coach Kim isn’t telling porkies – and it’s hard to see why he’d invent the story of his players being hit by lightning during practice

I started to laugh until I realized you were serious. North Korea never lies whenit comes to sport.

"Be polite to everyone you meet, but be prepared to kill anyone"-tc16cav

by otisnixon'sparty on Jun 29, 2011 4:19 AM EDT reply actions

North Korea is ranked 8th in the world.

They are definitely not bad at women’s soccer. They also have recently won U-20 and U-17 WC Titles.

Wake Forest '12

Mother So Dear

by RAJohnston on Jun 29, 2011 10:13 AM EDT reply actions

"it's hard to see why he'd invent the story"

Do you remember when the men’s soccer team did poorly in the World Cup and then were publicly shamed for six hours, the coach forced to work construction, and some of the team may have been sent to coal mines?

I’d say it’s pretty easy to see why he’d invent a story. He probably had it worked out weeks in advance.

by Grib on Jun 29, 2011 11:52 AM EDT reply actions

Y'all are aware that it's entirely possible to invent a story without resorting to lightning strikes, yes?

by Graham MacAree on Jun 29, 2011 3:57 PM EDT up reply actions

Yes.

It’s also possible to make bread from potatoes instead of wheat. What’s your point?

Which is more likely: that half the NKWNT was struck by lightening without anyone finding out or being informed before the match, or that the coach of a national team from a brutal autocracy with a history of punishing its losing sports figures made up a cockamamie story in a desperate effort to save himself after losing to said country’s worst enemy?

by Grib on Jun 29, 2011 5:21 PM EDT up reply actions

That the Minister of Propoganda

Thought of this himself and told the coach to say it to explain to his nation why Korea lost to the US.

by Cool Dudes on Jun 29, 2011 11:26 PM EDT up reply actions

Remember....

Last year it was reported during the NK-Brazil match that the Korean men’s coach had an invisible headset on his noggin for direct communication with Kim Jong Il. Can’t imagine them making something like this up…

by doolallynastics on Jun 30, 2011 9:46 AM EDT reply actions