Gold Medalist An Se-young's Sharp Remarks Targeting the Association
Presidential Office "Closely Monitoring the Situation"
Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to Investigate Badminton Association
Paris Olympic gold medalist An Se-young (22, Samsung Life) sparked a response from the government and political circles with her pointed remarks targeting the Badminton Association. The Presidential Office stated that it is "closely monitoring the situation," and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the relevant department, has begun investigating the circumstances.
On the 5th (local time), at the Porte de la Chapelle Arena in Paris, France, during the women's singles badminton final of the 2024 Paris Olympics, Korea's An Se-young defeated China's He Bingjiao and confirmed her victory, then lay down in celebration. [Image source=Yonhap News]
A senior official from the Presidential Office explained on the 6th regarding An Se-young's remarks, "Since fact-finding is a priority, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, as the responsible department, will take initial measures," adding, "We plan to promptly launch a thorough investigation once the Olympics conclude." It is also known that President Yoon Suk-yeol, currently on summer vacation, has been briefed on the matter.
Earlier, on the 5th (Korean time), after defeating He Bingjiao (China) 2-0 in the women's singles final at the Paris Olympics badminton event, An Se-young pointed out issues concerning the Badminton Association’s management of player injuries, athlete development and training methods, and decision-making systems.
In particular, she described her experience with a knee injury and rehabilitation process since October last year, saying, "I was very disappointed with the national team. I cannot forget that moment," and added, "After this moment, I also thought it might be difficult to continue with the national team."
Later that morning, An Se-young posted on her social media, "I have wanted to talk someday about the parts where players need to be protected and managed, and about communication rather than power," and asked, "Please understand that this is not about waging war against anyone but about player protection."
Within the industry, An Se-young’s remarks have been analyzed as the result of accumulated dissatisfaction with the association. In a media interview, An Se-young said, "The driving force behind setting my goals and achieving my dreams was my anger," adding, "I wanted to raise my voice. In a way, my dream was my 'voice.'"
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism stated that "Since the Paris Olympics are currently underway, we will ascertain the exact facts once the Olympics conclude and review the necessity of appropriate improvement measures based on the results," and added, "We also plan to comprehensively examine whether there are areas for improvement in athlete management across other sports."
As the Presidential Office is also monitoring the situation, a comprehensive investigation into any irregularities or inefficient operational practices within the Badminton Association is expected.
Political circles are also paying close attention to An Se-young’s remarks. On the same day, Yoon Sang-hyun, a member of the People Power Party, pointed out, "The association must change to one that communicates and represents players rather than wielding power," while Jin Jong-oh, a former national shooting team member and People Power Party lawmaker, said, "I will devote efforts to improving unreasonable matters."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
