Korean anti-doping expert joins IOC’s main educational institution

A man is seen through the Olympic rings in front of the new National Stadium in Tokyo, March 24, 2020. A Korean anti-doping expert has joined the top educational body of the International Olympic Committee. AP-Yonhap

A Korean anti-doping expert has joined the top educational body of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The Seoul-based International Sport Strategy Foundation (ISF) announced on Wednesday that Park Joo-hee, its secretary general, has been appointed to the scientific committee of the International Olympic Academy (IOA).

Based in Greece, the IOA is responsible for Olympic education and research. It offers master’s programs in Olympic studies and runs other educational programs for National Olympic Committees, athletes, and sports journalists.

The AIO recently established the Scientific Committee, which will provide scientific support to the academy. The new committee will be headed by the Dean of the AIO and will have seven members.

Park, a member of the Olympic Council of Asia’s anti-doping commission, is the first South Korean to join the IOA.

“As a member of the IOA, representing global Olympic studies, I will try to give academic value to sports science,” Park said. “Going further, I hope to contribute to the development of sports science and education in Korea.”

Park, 42, has a doctorate. in Sports Medicine and Science from Kyung Hee University and is an adjunct professor at Ewha Womans University, where she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Park served as anti-doping officer for a number of international sports competitions held in Korea: the 2011 World Championships in Athletics in Daegu, the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, the 2015 World University Games in Gwangju, the Olympic Games in winter of 2018 in PyeongChang. and the 2019 FINA World Championships in Gwangju.

Park also worked as a doping control officer for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and as a doping control site manager during the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi.

Park has helped develop educational materials for the World Anti-Doping Agency and participated in anti-doping research projects conducted by the Korean Anti-Doping Agency. (Yonhap)