An Se-young, the Olympic badminton champion, clarified on Wednesday that she is not seeking a conflict with her national team or the Badminton Korea Association (BKA). Her statement followed recent criticism she leveled against the federation for outdated systems and inefficiencies.
An, who returned to South Korea on Wednesday evening after winning her first gold medal in women’s singles at the Paris Olympics, had previously criticized the national team staff for mishandling a knee injury she sustained during the 2023 Asian Games. She also accused the BKA of favoring doubles players and adhering to outdated training programs.
In response to the situation, the sports ministry and the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC) have announced they will investigate the issues raised.
At Incheon International Airport, An addressed the media, stating, “I don’t intend to fight with anyone. I just want to focus on competing.” She added, “I just arrived and haven’t discussed anything with the association yet. I will have more to say later.”
Kim Taek-gyu, head of the BKA, mentioned earlier that there were no issues between the association and the player. When An was informed of Kim’s comments, she said, “As I mentioned, I’ve just landed and haven’t had a chance to review anything.”
An also missed a joint press conference for badminton medalists organized by the KSOC in Paris on Tuesday. While the KSOC stated that An opted out of the event, she later claimed she was instructed not to discuss the ongoing situation.
Kim, the BKA chief, said he had no knowledge of any attempt to block An from attending the press conference and was unsure of why she did not appear.
“There seems to be a lot of controversy surrounding this, and I won’t comment further,” An concluded. “I need to speak with the BKA and the national team staff first before making any further statements.”