North Korean Olympic athletes who failed to meet Kim Jong-un’s expectations may be sent to coal mines

London, August 25: While every country is busy extending a warm welcome to its Olympic athletes, North Korean athletes are worried about their life post Rio Olympics. Apparently, North Korea’s dictator Kim Jong-un is unhappy with the medal tally of his country’s athletes, as he expected many more of them and the hapless athletes managed to bag only seven medals, at the Rio Olympics 2016.

The athletes will now have to face the wrath of the dictator who wanted them to return with at least five gold and 12 other medals, according to a report in the Financial Express. North Korea had sent a total of 31 athletes to the games and they ‘only’ managed to win two gold, three silvers and two bronzes. In contrast, at the London Olympics in the year 2012, the North Korean athletes had won four gold and two bronze medals, said the news report.

Many say that the country’s players were playing under tremendous pressure  of the consequences of a medal fail, which eventually affected their performance. According to experts on the region the players who have disappointed the dictator may be punished by being moved to poor quality houses, provided lesser rations and may even be sent to the coal mines while those who won medals would be awarded good quality housing, better rations, car and other gifts by the dictator.

It may be recalled that members of the North Korean football team who lost to Portugal 7-0 in the 2010 World Cup were punished for humiliating the country. While some of the coaches and players were sent to re-education facilities, some were even sent to work in mines as part of the punishment. Players sent to the mines were not even allowed to return for the next one or two years. Many feel the present contingent of athletes who failed at the recently concluded Rio Olympics may also face the heat from the dictator.

However, an unofficial spokesman of Pyongyang reportedly said that the athletes would receive a warm welcome in the country on their return. While medal winners will be rewarded, others won’t face punishment, the man was quoted as saying.