Changing the outdated management system

Instead of deciphering who is right, change the management system.

Yang Sung-heeThe author is a columnist of the JoongAng Ilbo. Teen and twenty-something members of Team Korea stood out at the Paris Olympics. The young players performed superbly and gracefully — and looked unfazed, lively and composed on the international stage. They were unshy about their feelings and were more mature than older athletes as they immersed themselves into the competition rather than being pressured by the expectations and attention back home. It was delightful to watch how vibrant and confident our young generation has become.

Shin Yu-bin, the 20-year-old table tennis player referred to as “ppiyaki” for the squeaking sound she made during games drew as much attention off-court as her matches in Paris which earned her two bronze medals when she scarfed down bananas and energy gels during breaks in a carefree manner. She not only looked like an angel but acted like one. Upon losing to Hina Hayata of Japan 4-2 in a women’s singles match for the bronze medal, she walked up to the tearful winner in a big smile to congratulate her with a hug. “Hayata was better than me in every way. As I know what efforts she made to attain such skills and mental strength, I accept my defeat and will learn from her experience,” Shin said in a post-match interview. Her behavior is a far cry from the scenes of woeful wrath when Korea loses to Japan in international sports competitions.

Kim Yu-jin, the world’s 24th-ranked taekwondo player, defeated top athletes one by one to win the stunning gold in the final of the women’s -57-kilogram event in her Olympic debut. When asked whether she imagined being the star who brings home the first gold medal in taekwondo in 16 years, Kim calmly said she had not expected to achieve such a feat, but believed in herself. She corrected a journalist who called her victory “an underdog’s surprise” and said she earned it through her own efforts. Kim said she only concentrated on herself without minding others. She advised aspiring taekwondo athletes to fight on as they also can achieve their dreams.

An Se-young — who gifted her nation its first Olympic gold medal in badminton in 28 years — didn’t waste the post-medal spotlight with ceremonial comments and instead shed light on the poor athlete management and unfair practices of the badminton association. She claimed she had endured her injury to get to the top with the “angry determination to speak up.” Such bold behavior would have been unimaginable by her seniors who prioritized the team and the association over themselves.

Upon returning home, An took a step back and said she had meant to ask for more support from the badminton association rather than fight with it. But the Badminton Korea Association issued a 10-page statement to refute her every remark. Sports commentator Lee Jong-ho said it was meaningless to argue who is right, as “you just reap what you sow.” He pointed to the outdated regulations in the badminton association that cannot be found in other sports — like allowing only national team members up to the age of 27 for women and 28 for men to compete in international tournaments and banning individual sponsorships. Because the association restricts players within its boundaries, problems will naturally arise, the sports commentator said.

Former badminton star Lee Yong-dae was forced to cancel individual sponsorship due to criticisms of chasing money instead of concentrating on the sport. In a recent radio interview, Lee Kee-heung, chairman of Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC), disapprovingly said he had never heard of any other star players making such complaints. His comment drew backlash that he wouldn’t have heard such grievances because players couldn’t make such complaints in the first place. The badminton association has more executives on its board than the football association and has received no donation for many years, raising question about its management.

The association argues that it has done its part and cannot offer special treatments to some athletes just because they are better than others. If the leadership of the association wants to domineer over players instead of paying heed to their voices, it has no future. Instead of wasting time deciphering who is right, it should focus on changing the outdated — and unjust — management system. Chairman Lee of the KSOC attributed the national team’s exceptional performance in Paris to their training at a Marine Corps boot camp, which was his idea. I wonder if the young players feel the same.