PARIS—Paris Olympic badminton champion An Se-young has announced her withdrawal from all international tournaments scheduled for August, including the BWF World Tour Super 750 Japan Open and the Super 500 Korea Open, where she was expected to defend her titles.
According to Yonhap News Agency, An communicated her decision to the Badminton Korea Association (BKA) through her club, Samsung Life Insurance. The announcement follows her recent victory in the women's singles at the Paris Olympics on August 5. Citing severe knee and ankle injuries sustained in previous competitions, An has decided to take a break from the upcoming events. She suffered a right knee injury during the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games final and an ankle tendon injury at a pre-Olympic training camp this year.
The decision comes amidst a contentious backdrop involving An's public criticism of the BKA for their handling of her injuries and their overall management. Following her Olympic win, she voiced concerns over what she perceived as the association's inadequate and outdated operations. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has initiated an investigation into the association, prompted by An's allegations.
Currently, An Se-young is the only member of the Olympic team who has withdrawn from the tournaments. She has refrained from making further comments since her initial criticism after the Olympics.