Korea Badminton Association: No Conflict with An Se Young, Will Investigate Misdiagnosis

Jayce September 6, 2024 2 0

After winning a gold medal in women’s singles at the Paris Olympics, South Korean badminton player An Se-young publicly criticized the Korea Badminton Association (KBA) for issues in athlete injury management and decision-making. An Se-young disclosed in an interview that she had experienced misdiagnosis, which led to her being compelled to compete despite her injury. It wasn’t until a later examination at the end of the year that the seriousness of her injury was discovered. She expressed deep disappointment with the national team’s handling of the situation.

In response to An Se-young’s accusations, KBA President Kim Jae-kyu stated on the 7th that there is no conflict between the association and An Se-young, and pledged to investigate the misdiagnosis incident. Kim Jae-kyu expressed sadness over An Se-young’s public statements and acknowledged that external perceptions might suggest various mistakes by the association. However, he believes that forthcoming information will help the public better understand the situation.

According to earlier reports by Kyung Hyang News, An Se-young’s discontent primarily stemmed from her trusted coach, Han Su-jung, not having her contract renewed to participate jointly in the Olympics. After An Se-young’s injury, Han Su-jung was hired by the association as a full-time coach, but their contract renewal was unsuccessful after the one-year term, becoming a trigger point for An Se-young’s criticism of the national team’s management system. During her injury period, An Se-young was pressured to continue competing, which caused significant physical and mental strain, compounded by the absence of her coach.