National women’s coach Korean Kim Ji-Hyun, who played a vital role in helping P.V. Sindhu win the 2019 badminton World Championship gold, has resigned from her post to be with her ailing husband.
As a result she is unlikely to be with the Indian team ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
“Kim has informed us that she would not be able to come back within the next six months as she has to attend to her husband,” chief National coach P. Gopi Chand told The Hindu .
“Her original contract was up to the Olympics in Tokyo and with she herself ruling out returning to India, it is near certain that she will not be with us,” he said.
“The option of Kim joining the team after six months remains open. But that might be too close to the Olympics, and by which time the preparations would have reached a different level,” Gopi Chand said.
“It will not be easy to find another coach of Kim’s calibre,” he added.
This could be a huge blow, especially to women shuttlers, as the former Asian Games medallist, had by her own submission, developed a fine bond with the lead players.
