Azerbaijani taekwondo fighter beaten by national team's ex-manager

Baku. 19 January. REPORT.AZ/ The reason of cold relations between former head coach of Azerbaijan national taekwondo team Sun Mi Park and leading member of the team Farida Azizova has been uncovered.

Report informs, Korean specialist slapped sportswoman in one of trainings.

Sun Mi Park slapped Azizova, because, upon her opinion, she didn’t fulfil exercise. The incident happened on the eve of Baku 2015 - European Games. After this incident young fighter started to train under local specialist Sabuhi Zulfugarov. 67-kg fighter won silver medal in Baku 2015, but was ranked 5th in 2016 Rio-de-Janeiro Summer Olympic Games after defeat at bronze medal match.

Korean head coach kept on her cold relation with 22-year-old sportswoman after Olympic Games. She didn’t give chance to Azizova to fight in final stage of Baku Grand Prix held in December 2016 and teams’ world championship. Azerbaijan Taekwondo Federation dismissed Sun Kim Park on January 16 to replace with Elnur Amanov.

Azizova rebuts news insinuating her influence in dismissal of Korean specialist. However, young fighter confirmed cold relations with Sun Kim Park and that she was subject to physical offence: “After this behavior of head coach, I started to work with other coach. But the head coach in national team has already been replaced. I will also join trainings under leadership of Mr. Amanov as other members of the team. But for this, first of all, I have to show good result in Azerbaijan championship, which will start tomorrow”.

Notably, Farida Azizova is gold medalist of world youth championship in 2012. She also won silver in 2013 world championship and bronze in 2014 European championship.