Returned home after winning the China Masters on the 25th
Leaving the airport without expressing any special feelings
Badminton Association promises total reform
‘Shuttlecock Empress’ Ahn Se-young (Samsung Life Insurance) returned after winning her first international competition since the 2024 Paris Olympics. Now, attention is again focused on the Korea Badminton Association, which has promised reform.
Ahn Se-young, who won the 2024 Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour Super 750 China Masters Tournament, returned home through Incheon International Airport Terminal 1 at around 7 p.m. on the 25th.
‘World No. 1’ Ahn Se-young rose to the top of the international competition about three months after the Paris Olympics.
In the round of 32, they defeated Ratchanok Inthanon (Thailand, 18th place) 2-1 (24-22 15-21 21-19), and in the round of 16, they defeated Song Zhenwen (Taiwan, 24th place) 2-1 (21-23 21-). 12 21-12).
Ahn Se-young, riding the wave of excitement, began defeating the so-called powerhouses one by one.
In the quarterfinals, she defeated Zhang Yiman (China, 23rd place) 2-0 (21-11 21-11), and in the semifinals, she defeated Tomoka Miyazaki (Japan, 14th place) 2-0 (21-5 22-20). .
In the long-awaited final, he easily defeated Gao Fangjie (China, 28th) 2-0 (21-12 21-8) to win the championship.
Ahn Se-young, who scored 6 points in a row in the first game, showed a one-sided performance by taking a 13-point lead in the second game.
Ahn Se-young showed off her health as an Olympic gold medalist after overcoming friction with the Badminton Association after the Paris Olympics and a knee injury from which she never fully recovered.
However, even though he returned home as a champion, he did not express any special feelings.
Ahn Se-young left the airport, leaving behind fans’ cheers and reporters’ questions, saying “I’m sorry.”
This is interpreted as silence due to the conflict with the Badminton Association that has not yet been completely resolved.
The Badminton Association was greatly shaken after the Paris Olympics when it underwent an audit by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and a government audit by the National Assembly Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee.
Last month, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced the results of the Badminton Association’s audit and warned that if unreasonable systems and practices are not changed, special measures such as designation of a management organization and suspension of budget support will be taken.
On the 23rd, the Badminton Association announced its position based on the results of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s audit and said, “We recognize the current situation as the greatest crisis and an opportunity for further development and harmony, and in order to improve long-standing problems and improve the operation of the national team and the association. “We are making our best efforts,” he said.
It was announced that interviews were conducted to understand the current status of the national team’s operation, three meetings were held to change the terms of the contract with the supply sponsor, and opinions were collected on the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s requirements for system improvement.
However, in response to criticism of violations of the subsidy law for promotion-relegation leagues and youth club leagues, “We must comply with the guidelines of the Korea Sports Council and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, apply for subsidies under the approval of higher organizations for business plans, execute them, and complete settlement verification through a certified public accounting agency.” “It was done in compliance with the subsidy use procedures,” he explained.
The Badminton Association said, “We feel a great sense of responsibility for resolving the current situation,” and promised, “We will actively revise the wrong systems and regulations so that the association can return to normal.”
Attention is being paid to whether the Badminton Association can overcome various controversies and become a ‘beloved sports organization’ as the association hopes.
[서울=뉴시스]
