An Se-young floats quitting Korea after Olympic gold over how staff handled injury

World No. 1 An Se-young said Monday after winning a gold medal in the women’s singles at the Paris Olympics that she may not continue to represent Korea, citing disappointment over the Korean coaching staff’s care for her injury.

Korean badminton player An Se-young competes in the women's singles final against China’s He Bingjiao at the Paris Olympics at La Chapelle Arena in Paris on Monday. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

World No. 1 An Se-young said Monday after winning gold in women’s singles badminton at the Paris Olympics that she may not continue to represent Korea as she felt disappointed over the Korean coaching staff’s insufficient care for her injury.

“My injury was more severe than I thought, and I was a little disappointed about the national team who did not consider it as a big deal at all,” An told reporters after Monday’s final. “I even thought that it would be a little difficult to work with the national team from this point on. I have to talk with them and see, but I am very disappointed. I hope there will be a day when I can explain about it in detail.”

She picked up an injury during the women’s singles final at the Hangzhou Asian Games last year, after which she said she went through a tough time preparing for the Olympics.

“After the Asian Games ended, when I couldn’t play due to injury, I argued with coaches, cried and expressed frustration,” An said. “[Right after picking up the injury], I still played while putting up with the pain, and the injury got worse when I reexamined it at the end of last year. I put up with the pain and still trained as I didn’t have much time until the Olympics. I was able to get here as my training instructor helped me.

“I can’t get over the disappointment with the national team. I want to continue for the development of the national team and for my stats, but I don’t know what the association [Badminton Korea Association] will do. I think I can do anything if I can continue playing badminton.”

An did not stop there and made more comments in a post-match press conference.

“Not being able to compete in the Olympics without doing so through the [Badminton Korea Association] is heartless,” An said. “I think the association is blocking everything in the name of freedom. And we should look at the fact that there was only one gold medal from badminton when Korea could do better.”

Losing An would be a huge blow for Team Korea, as the 22-year-old has established herself as a legend with medals from every international major tournament and has a long career ahead of her.

Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly translated that An said not being able to play in the Olympics for exiting the national team is heartless, but the correct translation is “not being able to compete in the Olympics without doing so through the [Badminton Korea Association] is heartless.”

BY PI JOO-YOUNG [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]