Olympic champion An accuses badminton association of injury 'neglect'

SEOUL - South Korea's sports ministry said Tuesday it would investigate allegations by new Olympic badminton champion An Se-young that she was neglected by her national federation while injured.

World number one An swept to gold on Monday in Paris with a 21-13, 21-16 victory over China's He Bingjiao.

Shortly after, the 22-year-old An shocked fans at home in South Korea by telling reporters: "I think it may be difficult to continue with the national team after this moment."

An accused the Korea Badminton Association of not providing adequate support while she was suffering from a knee injury sustained last year.

An said she had to compete in pain because of the injury and had even been initially misdiagnosed regarding its severity.

"I was so disappointed with (the association) during my injury. I really can't get over those moments," An told reporters, without getting into further details.

She accused the association of "neglecting" its responsibilities.

The sports ministry issued a statement Tuesday saying it planned to "ascertain the exact facts as soon as the Olympics conclude" and "review the need for appropriate improvement measures based on the findings".

The ministry "plans to examine whether there are areas for improvement in athlete management across other sports as well," it added.

In a separate interview with South Korea's Yonhap News Agency published early Tuesday, An was quoted as saying the association had decided she would not be competing in certain events without providing her with any explanation.

She further accused the current training system of being outdated and not entirely safe for athletes, claiming it fails to "train in a way that prevents injuries or take proper measures if an injury occurs".

An said the country's doubles players - who have enjoyed more success in international competitions - were prioritised for training and medical support over singles players.

"I found my motivation in my anger as I set my goals and pursued my dreams," the new Olympic champion told Yonhap.

"I wanted to make my voice heard. In a way, my dream was (to have) a 'voice.'"

AFP