Badminton gold medalist An Se-young returns home, saying she’ll talk with BKA

An Se-young answers questions from reporters at Incheon International Airport on August 7. Reporter Moon Jae-won

An Se-young (22, Samsung Life Insurance), who won the gold medal in the women's singles badminton event at the Paris Olympics, arrived at Incheon International Airport on August 7. An, who had voiced her dissatisfaction with the Badminton Korea Association (BKA) shortly after winning the gold medal, saying, "I thought it would be a little difficult to continue to go with the national team," said upon her arrival, “I will tell you the details after discussing them."

An entered the arrivals hall at Incheon International Airport at around 4:30 p.m. on the day. Dressed in her national team training uniform, An looked a bit tired but smiled. Behind her were some members of the national team, including head coach Kim Hak-gyun. An moved to the prepared press conference area, and Kim and the other players dispersed.

An had missed the badminton medalists' press conference at the Korea House in Paris, France, the day before. "I didn't attend the press conference because the federation told me to wait," she said at Charles de Gaulle Airport on her way home, adding, "There was nothing I could do because they told me, 'Don't say anything and wait.’” The BKA immediately denied An's comments. A battle of truth followed her remarks shortly after she won the gold medal.

At the arrival hall, An declined to elaborate on her remarks she made during the Games. "I didn't mean to fight, I just wanted to express my desire to concentrate only on exercise.” She added, "I just arrived, but I haven't talked to the association, and I haven't discussed anything with the team. I'll tell you the details after discussing them."

An also responded to the controversy over her absence from the press conference the day before, saying, "I know there was a lot of controversy about that. I'll try to refrain from talking because I haven't talked to the federation or the team. I will talk to them as soon as possible and let you know." With this answer, An left the press conference. An employee of her team, Samsung Life Insurance, grabbed her arm and ran with her to the team bus waiting for her. The reporters followed her and asked more questions, but she did not answer and went straight to the bus. Her fans who were waiting for her at the airport chanted "Go, An Se-young!"

While An stepped back, saying she would reveal the details after talking to the association and the team, the BKA finally set out its official position on the controversy.

The association, which had been silent since August 5, when An won the gold medal and said she was disappointed with the national team and there was a big problem in operation and management, issued an emergency press release in the afternoon after the players and the officials of the federation returned to Korea. While promising to set up a fact-finding committee to identify and take action on the problems raised, the federation explained that the problems raised by An were not true.

The BKA first said, "We will conduct interviews with the national team coaching staff and players, including An, as soon as possible, and form a “fact-finding committee” to thoroughly understand the problems and take appropriate measures to protect the athletes.”

The federation then explained the remarks made by An. First, in response to An's comments that she was disappointed with the national team's complacency in handling her knee injury last year, it explained that the team did everything it could to protect the gold medal favorite, from the initial misdiagnosis to sending an oriental doctor to her after she injured her ankle upon arrival in Paris, and the conversations between her and the coaching staff. It even attached signatures to the confirmation letter of the national team head coach and four assistant coaches.

It also explained the circumstances of the termination of the contract with Han Soo-jeong, the trainer An had mentioned numerous times, and how the athlete's opinion was fully respected during the process. An stated that she "expressed her desire to exercise with a personal trainer several times," but the federation said, "There has been no official communication and we will find out the facts." In addition, the federation said that it would closely investigate and share the training methods with a fact-finding committee in response to An's statement in an additional interview that "the management of the national team is centered on doubles matches with relatively good performance."

The federation has also been accused of attempting to silence An in the face of her revelation. An, who did not attend the medalists' press conference at the Korea House on the 6th, said in an interview before boarding her flight back home that she was told "not to say anything and to wait." In response, the federation confirmed, "We have not communicated or instructed An to 'wait and say nothing' or not to attend the press conference."

The controversy that erupted over An’s comments immediately after winning the gold medal was resolved with An taking a step back by mentioning “consultation” and the BKA announcing that it would set up a fact-finding committee, but it also left the possibility of further controversy as the federation gave rebuttal explanations on the specific issues.

Earlier, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism and the Presidential Office had also expressed the need to find out the truth. After the ceremony for the appointment of the Korea Sport Ethics Center’s executives, Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Yoo In-chon said, "The key issue is whether the BKA and its leaders are doing their proper role for the athletes. If there is a need to find out the exact facts and improve them, we will change them."

"The issue is whether the Korea Badminton Association and its leaders are fulfilling their roles for the athletes," said Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yoo In-chon after the appointment ceremony of the Sports Ethics Center's executives, "and if there is a need for improvement, we will make changes."

※This article has undergone review by a professional translator after being translated by an AI translation tool.