An Se-young, who won the gold medal in the women's singles badminton at the 2024 Paris Olympics, answers questions from the press upon her arrival at Incheon International Airport on April 7. Yonhap

The Badminton Korea Association (BKA) has initiated an internal investigation into An Se-young's criticism, yet has not engaged in any communication or dialogue with the Paris Olympic gold medalist, despite nearly 10 days having passed since her initial complaints.

An, who has seemingly softened her stance, has expressed a desire for sincere dialogue rather than continued conflict. Following her gold medal victory in the women's singles at the Paris Olympics, she broke her silence with pointed criticism of the association.

On Aug. 16, An addressed the situation through her social media, revealing the emotional burden behind her previous statements.

She said, "During an interview after winning the Olympic gold medal, I was asked about my injury, and memories of the past seven years on the national team flashed through my mind, leading me to speak words that I had kept in my heart."

She continued, "The impact of those words ended up hurting athletes who should have been receiving praise and encouragement during the Olympics. Although I am over 20 years old, I have learned that while I have worked hard by focusing solely on sports and training, I am still very lacking in the wisdom needed to navigate life."

She added what she ultimately wanted to talk about was her hope that "the unreasonable but customary practices should change and become a bit more flexible."

An official from An's side said, "What's certain is that Se-young has toned down her remarks," and expressed frustration by adding, "But we are wondering why the association hasn't suggested a meeting."

Her father, An Jung-hyun, echoed this sentiment, saying, "There hasn't even been a congratulatory message, let alone a meeting request."

As communication continues to stall, the focus has shifted to the growing controversy. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has begun an investigation into An's allegations, including issues like the longstanding practice of junior players doing chores for their seniors, and accusations against BKA President Kim Taek-gyu.

A meeting of the Badminton Korea Association's internal fact-finding committee regarding An Se-young's critical remarks takes place at the Olympic Hall in Songpa District, Seoul, Friday. Yonhap

Violation of procedures

In response to the escalating situation, the BKA officially launched a fact-finding committee on Aug. 16. The committee, which includes both internal and external members, held a closed-door meeting with the coaching staff but admitted that it has not yet reached out to An.

After the meeting, the association said only that "We have determined that listening to An Se-young's story will be crucial for resolving the issue," and that "In the next meeting, we will gather the opinions of national team players, including An Se-young."

However, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism pointed out that "The formation of the fact-finding committee by the association violated procedures."

The ministry added, "This is not a matter that the president of the association can decide alone as board review and approval are necessary."

It demanded that the association ensure procedural legitimacy in accordance with the association's bylaws.

Paris Olympic gold medalist An Se-young talks with the press after returning home at Incheon International Airport on Aug. 7. Yonhap

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by generative AI and edited by staff at The Korea Times.