KOVO said it convened its disciplinary committee on April 27 at its office in Seoul’s Mapo district and decided on the penalty after reviewing the case.
The committee called drunk driving a serious antisocial act but said it considered several factors: her blood alcohol concentration at the time was relatively low at 0.032%; she voluntarily reported the incident to her club and the league after it occurred; and she has shown deep remorse. It also said it took into account that she has effectively been sidelined for a season as an unsigned free agent and was removed from the national team.
Under KOVO rules, penalties for drunk driving range from a warning to expulsion, and a fine of at least 5 million won may also be imposed. The league said it weighed past cases and fairness.
Ahn, wearing a black suit, attended the hearing and bowed as she apologized. “I’m sorry for causing concern. I will make sure this never happens again,” she said.
Ahn was caught by police on April 16 for driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.032%, a level that triggers a license suspension, and was questioned. Her club notified KOVO the next day and requested discipline under league rules.
The fallout has been significant. Ahn, the starting setter for GS Caltex in the 2025-2026 season, helped the team win the championship and was selected for the national team for the first time in five years after the season ended. She was dropped from the national team call-up list shortly after the drunk-driving case.
She had been seen as a strong candidate for a major free-agent deal, but no club signed her, including GS Caltex. As a result, she remains unsigned and will be unable to play in the women’s V-League in the 2026-2027 season.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.