South Korean midfielder Park Jong-woo, who was denied his Olympic medal and banned from the podium after celebrating his team’s bronze medal game victory over Japan with a sign of protest, will finally receive his prize after the IOC signed off on the paperwork Wednesday.
“The Korean Olympic Committee handed over the certificates to the KFA on Tuesday,” the KFA told Yonhap. “Park Jong-woo’s certificate was included.”
The sign, which translated reads “Dokdo is our territory,” was handed to Park by a fan following South Korea’s 2-0 victory over Japan and refers to a dispute between the two countries over islands they both lay claim to that may hold billions of dollars in frozen natural gas deposits.
Park’s actions have been called everything from “impulsive” to “courageous” back home, but FIFA, soccer’s governing body, was less complimentary. Its members have opened a disciplinary hearing against Park, but the board is yet to reach a decision in the case.