An Se Young Criticizes Korean Badminton Association After Olympic Gold Win: Expresses Disappointment and Contemplates Retirement

Jayce September 6, 2024 3 0

After winning the women’s singles gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, South Korean player An Se Young made explosive remarks, directly criticizing the Korean Badminton Association. She hinted at her disappointment with the national team and mentioned the possibility of retiring from the national team, even considering competing as an independent player.

According to an interview with Yonhap News Agency on August 5th, the conflict between An Se Young and the national team surfaced around the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games.

At that time, An Se Young, suffering from knee tendinitis, sustained a severe knee injury during the women’s singles final at the Asian Games. Consequently, her preparation for the Olympics was hampered.

A representative from An Se Young’s team explained, “The national team therapist taped her knee, which drastically worsened its condition. The pressure below the knee caused a bone protrusion.” The representative added that after An Se Young returned home victorious but injured, she did not receive adequate medical treatment: “The hospital did not offer any other effective treatment options. They only gave her injections and then arranged for her to stay at home.” During this period, An Se Young gradually lost trust in the national team and submitted a retirement request to the Korean Badminton Association in January this year.

The event that pushed An Se Young towards the decision to retire occurred during the Uber Cup in May this year. In An Se Young’s absence, the Korean team lost to Indonesia in the semifinals and finished in third place. A representative mentioned that An Se Young had expressed her desire to participate in the semifinals but was excluded from the roster without any explanation. This deeply disappointed An Se Young.

As tensions with the association over international competitions grew, she eventually told those around her, “I will withdraw from the national team and no longer participate in the Olympics.”

After winning the Olympic gold, An Se Young resolutely stated, “My injury was more serious than anticipated, and the national team thought it wasn’t severe, which was disappointing. At that moment, I had the thought that it would be difficult to continue competing for the national team.”

Regarding her potential retirement, she said, “I want to continue playing badminton and maintain my record, but I’m unsure what the association will do. As long as I can play badminton, I can endure any situation.”

When asked, “What about the next Olympics if not with the national team?” she responded, “Isn’t it too harsh for athletes to be unable to compete in the Olympics without being on the national team?”

She further criticized, “Singles and doubles are entirely different; you can’t deprive an athlete of their qualifications. The association hinders everything and lets the athletes fend for themselves.”

The Korean Badminton Association has not yet made any official statements regarding An Se Young’s comments.