As reported by Yonhap News Agency, Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency said it applied for the warrant for Cho Jae-beom.

Cho was interrogated for nearly eight hours on Monday (June 18) over allegations that he had hit Olympic gold medallist Shim Suk-hee on various occasions. 

He admitted the charges and police discovered that he had assaulted three other skaters between 2011 and January 2018.

According to the police, three of the four alleged victims are female athletes.

They added that Cho said he had hit the skaters as punishment for disobedience and that he was trying to improve their performance.

The case surrounding Shim caused huge controversy in South Korea prior to the this year's Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, where the multiple world champion helped the host country successfully defend its women’s 3,000 metres relay title.

In mid-January, just weeks before the Games, the Korea Skating Union issued a lifetime ban to Cho for beating Shim at a training camp.

Aju Business Daily reports that Shim boycotted a training programme in protest, but returned two days later.

A post-Pyeongchang 2018 independent probe, conducted by the Sports Ministry, concluded on May 23 that Cho's alleged assault was more serious than first reported.

Four days later, Gyeonggi police said Shim had testified to having been hit by Cho on two previous occasions, including once last year.

Chinese media reported last month that Cho had joined the country's national short track speed skating team, but he returned home this month to face police questioning.