Kim Taek-gyu, President of the Korea Badminton Association
(MHN Sports Kwon Su-yeon Reporter) While the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is conducting an investigation, Kim Taek-gyu, the president of the Korea Badminton Association, spoke out himself.
Chairman Kim stated his position regarding Ahn Se-young’s recent revelations at a press conference held ahead of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour Super 500 Korea Open held at Mokpo Gymnasium in South Jeolla Province on the 27th.
Chairman Kim said, “How much resentment must Ahn Se-young have had to have to have acted like that even after winning the gold medal?” and added, “We need to get rid of the old-fashioned customs in general. The top priority is to revise all the regulations regarding national team selection, sponsorship, and contracts to make it easier for athletes to live as national team members.”
Chairman Kim also said, “There isn’t much time left (in my term as chairman), but I will do my best to improve the system. I will review all of the additional opinions.”
Ahn Se-young appears before the press after returning to Korea on the 7th
Korean Badminton Team Ahn Se-young
An Se-young sent shockwaves when she said on the 5th, immediately after winning the gold medal in the women’s singles at the Paris Olympics, “I am very disappointed in the national team for taking my injury too lightly. I am also thinking that it might be difficult to continue playing with the national team after this moment.”
Because of this, speculations arose that ‘Ahn Se-young is retiring from the national team.’ However, Ahn Se-young later drew a clear line on retirement rumors through SNS.
Here, upon returning to Korea, Association Chairman Kim Taek-gyu stated his position regarding the conflict with Ahn Se-young, saying, “There was no conflict between me and the player, or between the association and the player,” and “I am the association chairman, so if it’s the association, who else would be the judge?”
Afterwards, the Korea Badminton Association’s lax administrative handling, internal irregularities such as having juniors do chores like laundry, and the age restriction regulations were made public.
Badminton team member Ahn Se-young wins gold medal in women’s singles at the 2024 Paris Olympics for the first time in 28 years
According to the ‘Regulations on Allowing Retired National Team Players to Participate in International Competitions’ of the Association, “Only retired national team players who have made a significant contribution to the development of badminton in the Republic of Korea may participate in international competitions approved by the Badminton World Federation,” and “Players who have been active as national team players for more than five years are eligible, and the age is 27 years or older for women and 28 years or older for men.”
An Se-young expressed her position that the age restriction was unfair, saying, “The national team was in disarray because there was no clear work protocol,” and “If (the various regulations) were more coordinated and relaxed, I would like to play (badminton) for the national team and the Republic of Korea.”
In a press conference, Association Chairman Kim Taek-gyu stated that the poor internal administration was due to “the fact that the majority of the association’s board of directors are elite figures who have obstructed the association’s administration,” and “they blocked my eyes and ears as someone with a background in recreational sports, preventing me from noticing the difficult times the athletes were having.”
Badminton team member Ahn Se-young answers reporters’ questions
Regarding the claim that there is no support from the association’s executives, he said, “I don’t know since when, but the badminton association has never (had executives donate) money. This issue could be resolved by including a clause in the association’s articles of association requiring executives to pay a contribution.”
Regarding the allegations that he verbally abused some employees, Chairman Kim said, “I was wrong to yell at them,” and “If I swore at them and they were hurt, I should apologize.”
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has been known to be conducting an audit of the Badminton Association since the 12th.
Photo = Yonhap News
2024-08-29 06:57:18