South Korean badminton star An Se-young granted exception to wear non-Yonex shoes

An allowed to choose shoes starting with Denmark Open; wore Asics at National Sports Festival

By KTimes

South Korean badminton star An Se-young has been granted permission to wear her preferred shoes for the time being, deviating from the usual requirement for national team players to wear Yonex, the official sponsor’s shoes.

An had expressed discomfort with the Yonex shoes, prompting the Badminton Korea Association (BKA) and Yonex to allow an exception.

The BKA announced Monday that An would be given temporary, limited autonomy regarding her footwear starting from the Denmark Open on Oct. 15.

This decision will remain in effect until negotiations regarding the change in sponsorship agreements with Yonex are finalized.

The association explained that the decision was made after considering public sentiment following the 2024 Paris Olympics, feedback from a National Assembly hearing, and consultations with sports officials and An herself.

After the Paris Olympics, reports surfaced about An’s discomfort with Yonex shoes, leading the BKA and Yonex to explore ways to resolve the issue for the benefit of An’s performance and South Korean sports as a whole.

According to current BKA rules, national team players must use officially designated equipment, including shoes, during training and competitions.

An Se-young competes in the badminton preliminaries at the 105th National Sports Festival at the Miryang Badminton Stadium in South Gyeongsang Province, Oct. 9. Yonhap

However, during a National Assembly hearing on Sept. 24, a photo of An’s blistered feet was shared, prompting BKA President Kim Taek-gyu to commit to revising the regulations.

According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, badminton and boxing are the only Olympic and Asian Games sports where players are strictly required to use sponsor-provided equipment, including items directly affecting performance, like rackets and shoes.

The BKA said it is working to develop custom shoes that meet An’s needs while carefully negotiating with Yonex on equipment options for all national team players.

With this decision, An can now wear shoes of her choice and recently wore Asics shoes during the National Sports Festival.

An Se-young speaks at a press conference after her match at the 105th National Sports Festival at Miryang Badminton Stadium in South Gyeongsang Province, Oct. 9. Yonhap

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