Kim Taek-gyu, president of the Badminton Korea Affiliation, responds to questions from lawmakers at a full session of the Nationwide Meeting’s Tradition, Sports activities, and Tourism Committee, Sept. 24. Yonhap
Sports activities ministry urges dismissal of BKA president following probe
By Pyo Kyung-min
Following a complete two-month investigation into the Badminton Korea Affiliation (BKA), the Ministry of Tradition, Sports activities and Tourism introduced a collection of reforms and known as for the dismissal of BKA President Kim Taek-gyu over a number of alleged violations.
That is a part of the ministry’s efforts to deal with the grievances raised by badminton star An Se-young after her gold medal win on the 2024 Paris Olympics in August, committing to right long-standing points and outdated practices throughout the affiliation.
Triggered by An’s considerations, the ministry started inspecting the BKA on Aug. 12, analyzing points together with the affiliation’s administration of the nationwide workforce, systematic enhancements, sponsored tasks and office harassment allegations involving the president, as acknowledged throughout the ministry’s progress report briefing on Sept. 10.
Thursday’s briefing served as the ultimate report of the investigation, promising decisive motion in opposition to the affiliation’s officers for his or her “irregularities dedicated over time.”
Lee Jung-woo, director-general of the ministry’s sports activities bureau, instantly known as for Kim’s removing, citing subsidy mismanagement violations throughout the briefing on the annex of the Authorities Advanced Seoul.
“We’ve requested the Songpa Police Station to research subsidy violations linked to Kim, who additionally faces accusations of embezzlement and breach of belief. Kim must be dismissed and the secretary-general of the BKA ought to obtain extreme disciplinary motion,” Lee stated.
The ministry has already requested the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee (KSOC) to submit its opinion on the subsidy violations as a preliminary step for recovering misused funds. The estimated quantity to be reclaimed from the BKA involves 9 billion received ($6.52 million), with a ultimate quantity to be decided after a Subsidy Misappropriation Evaluation Committee evaluation.
The sports activities ministry additionally revealed that it reported Kim on Monday to the related authorities underneath the Labor Requirements Act for alleged verbal abuse, profanity and calls for for extreme courtesies throughout a BKA workshop in April.
Lee Jung-woo, director-general of the Ministry of Tradition, Sports activities and Tourism’s sports activities bureau, speaks throughout a ultimate report briefing over the ministry’s inspection of the Badminton Korea Affiliation on the Annex of Authorities Advanced Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap
Past implementing disciplinary measures, the ministry introduced new insurance policies to assist nationwide workforce gamers, incorporating suggestions from An and different badminton gamers. These updates embrace improved harm administration, expanded medical providers, enhanced residing situations at coaching facilities, personalized coaching applications and entry to non-public trainers.
To empower athletes to make their very own well being care choices, gamers can be allowed to obtain therapy from a facility of their selection. Medical services on the nationwide workforce’s official coaching heart will even be expanded to accommodate this variation.
The sports activities ministry additional dedicated to addressing what An described as “outdated practices” in nationwide groups. Shifting ahead, athletes can have extra freedom on weekends and holidays, and a long-standing custom that assigns family chores to junior gamers can be eradicated.
As well as, the KSOC’s coverage requiring early morning coaching 4 instances every week and twice-monthly mountaineering, applied in April 2023, can be successfully discontinued, permitting every workforce to find out its personal coaching schedule.
The ministry will even enable nationwide athletes throughout all sports activities, together with badminton, to carry private trainers to nationwide coaching classes. Nationwide badminton gamers getting back from worldwide competitions can be assured a relaxation interval earlier than resuming coaching.
Star badminton participant An Se-young competes in a preliminary match on the one hundred and fifth Nationwide Sports activities Pageant held on the Miryang Badminton Stadium in Miryang, South Gyeongsang Province, Oct. 9. Yonhap
The ministry will take away long-standing restrictions on worldwide competitors participation, a novel rule beforehand enforced by the BKA. Athletes might now compete in worldwide leagues and invitational tournaments at their very own expense or with assist from their groups. A coverage limiting worldwide competitors eligibility for athletes primarily based on age and nationwide workforce expertise will even be eradicated.
Sponsorship phrases for gamers will even change to boost their rights. Athletes will have the ability to select their very own gear, resembling rackets and sneakers, and show one among their private sponsors’ logos on nationwide workforce uniforms, a proper that can be assured amongst 5 sponsor logos permitted on uniforms.
The choice course of for nationwide doubles badminton gamers can be revamped to take away subjective evaluations and set up an goal, merit-based evaluation.
“Strengthening nationwide workforce assist and correcting unfair practices are clear enhancements that ought to have been applied sooner. We apologize to the athletes for the delay. Athletes in different sports activities ought to be happy to voice considerations, which we are going to handle and resolve,” Lee stated throughout the briefing.
“That is the BKA’s final probability to set issues proper. If it fails once more, we are going to designate it as unable to self-regulate and appoint a administration committee to dismiss all officers and droop all funding aside from athlete assist.”
