Korean Olympic committee to investigate accusations made by An Se-young

The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC) said Wednesday it will open an investigation into allegations raised by Olympic gold medalist An Se-young and will consider probing the Badminton Korea Association after meeting with An

Korean badminton player An Se-young talks to reporters at Incheon International Airport in Incheon on Wednesday. [YONHAP]

The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC) said Wednesday it will open an investigation into allegations raised by Olympic gold medalist An Se-young and will consider probing the Badminton Korea Association and Jincheon National Training Center after meeting with An.

According to a press release released Wednesday, KSOC President Lee Kee-heung will create a committee to investigate An's claim that Badminton Korea Association coaching staff failed to take an injury she sustained at the Asian Games last year seriously, as well as criticism of the training system and the behavior of the association.

The committee, which will be made up of four external auditors including a former police investigator, will meet with An after the Paris Olympics has concluded, the release said. The focus of further investigations will then be based on the outcome of that conversation.

The Badminton Korea Association released a statement earlier Wednesday refuting An’s claims, saying that it looked after her by providing her with a personal trainer in February to help her recover from the injury and spent over 11 million won ($8,000) sending a doctor of traditional Korean medicine to treat her when she sustained an injury upon arriving in Paris.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]