South Korea has been told to bar a football player from collecting his bronze medal on Saturday.

Midfielder Jongwoo Park carried his national flag with a slogan supporting South Korean sovereignty of islets at the center of a territorial dispute with Japan during the third-place match against Japan on Friday.

The incident came just hours after South Korean President Lee Myung-bak raised diplomatic tensions by traveling to the islets.

In a statement, the International Olympic Committee requested the South Koreans take "swift action on this issue" and that "the athlete not be present" at Saturday's ceremony. They also said they had asked for an explanation.

Spokesmen for the South Korea Olympic body could not immediately be reached for comment.

The Olympic Charter prohibits political statements by athletes and players.

_ Graham Dunbar _ Twitter _ http://twitter.com/gdunbarap

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