Seoul: An Se-Young, who won the badminton women’s singles gold for Korea at the 2024 Paris Olympics, has sparked a significant public reaction after criticizing the Badminton Korea Association (BKA). On Friday, An Se-Young finally shared her thoughts in a lengthy social media post.
The 22-year-old An expressed her disappointment with the BKA during an interview after winning the gold medal, which drew considerable media attention in Korea. The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism of Korea announced that it would launch an investigation. An Se-young stated in her social media post on Friday that, “If no one steps up, nothing will change. So even though I am scared, I decided to speak out.”
An further stated that after exposing the issues with BKA, she was unsure of what might happen next and feared that she might be unable to play badminton anymore. However, after careful consideration, she decided to write the post to address the support and attention she received.
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Below is the message An Se-young shared on Instagram:
“Hello everyone, this is An Se-young.
After I started playing badminton, I received a lot of help from many people. Thanks to them, I was able to win the Olympic gold medal.
My parents, my brother, my family, and all the teachers and coaches who guided me to where I am today without ever giving up on me, all the seniors and juniors I’m grateful for, and everyone who took care of me at the athletes’ village—I am deeply thankful. I am also very grateful to my friends, my strong team, and those who supported me through victories and failures. My success depends on the hopes and support of many people. Thank you very much.
During the interview after winning the Olympics, when I was asked about my injury, I expressed my honest thoughts about the seven years I spent on the national team. Unfortunately, my words during that time which should have been filled with congratulations and encouragement have caused unintended harm. Even though I am in my twenties now, I realize that despite serious training and effort, I still lack the wisdom to navigate life effectively. I apologize once again to all athletes and officials of the Korean Olympic delegation and for any inconvenience caused to the public.
There are many reports about me at the moment, but what I ultimately want to convey is my hope for more flexibility and change in the unreasonable ways things have been managed at BKA. Particularly regarding injuries, which are incredibly painful and difficult for every athlete, I hope there could be a better environment and support for recovery. Each player’s situation and injury severity vary, and we hope for flexible and effective help that suits them, but this hasn’t been the reality, leaving us disappointed and upset.
Instead of hearing responses like ‘You’re not the only one,’ or ‘You’ve received special treatment,’ I regret that no one was willing to say, ‘Let’s give it a try,’ or ‘If it doesn’t work, let’s find another way together.’
I don’t see badminton as an unpopular sport. If it improves, it could attract many more fans than it does now, and many talented people would participate. Athletes can perform better and gain strong public support when in a healthy environment. All this would benefit the association. We must turn this good opportunity into a reality.
I hope to have a candid conversation with the association about my experiences rather than engaging in disputes about right and wrong. I’m not trying to point out what’s bad or wrong, but rather that certain things must change for us to progress together. I simply hope to reduce the differences in opinions regarding systems, communication, and care so that operations function within a range of common sense that everyone can understand.
Fortunately, we’ve learned that the Sports Committee and the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism will investigate and find the truth. If someone recognizes and gradually changes the rules and systems, I believe that not just me but future athletes will be better cared for and can focus more on their training. If I had something to say to the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism and the Sports Committee, it would be that I hope they listen to the voices of the athletes and ensure smooth communication between the association and the athletes.
Going forward, I hope the relevant people in the association will no longer turn a blind eye and they will take proactive action, as they hold the key to change. I hope the public continues to show interest so that athletes can focus on sports under a reasonable system and perform at their best.
I don’t want this incident to create a negative perception of badminton. We sincerely ask for your continued interest and encouragement. I am currently unable to participate in competitions due to ankle and knee injuries, but I will complete my recovery well and return to my original condition, giving my all on the badminton court.
I have many shortcomings, but if no one steps up, nothing will change. Even though I was scared, I decided to step up. I don’t know how this will turn out, and I’m frightened by the thought that I might not be able to play badminton anymore. But after much thought, I decided to write this article to respond to the support and attention of the public.
Thank you all, An Se-young.”
