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Disciplined Individuals
The following members are prohibited from any USA Badminton activity due to violations of (1) anti-doping, (2) SafeSport policies or, (3) violations of ethics rules. Details about USADA sanctions can be found on their website. Information regarding SafeSport violations is available from the U.S. Center for SafeSport‘s Centralized Disciplinary Database.
The following members are suspended due to violations of U.S. Center for SafeSport and/or USA Badminton Safe Sport Policy:
| Name | City | State | Sport Affiliation | Adjudicating Body | Decision Date | Misconduct | Action Taken |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Acebu | Durham | NC | USA Table Tennis, USA Badminton | U.S. Center for SafeSport | 05/06/2021 | Criminal Disposition - Sexual Misconduct | Ineligible |
| Khankham "Bob" Malaythong | San Jose | CA | USA Badminton | U.S. Center for SafeSport | 10/01/2018 | Criminal Disposition - involving a Minor | Ineligible |
| Phu Khuu | CA | USA Badminton | U.S. Center for SafeSport | 10/18/2023 | Criminal Disposition - involving a minor | Ineligible | |
| Lasitha Menaka | USA Badminton | U.S. Center for SafeSport | 12/13/2023 | Allegations of Misconduct | Temporary Suspension | ||
| Linda French | USA Badminton | U.S. Center for SafeSport | 1/5/2024 | Failure to Report; Abuse of Process; Retaliation | Suspension |
USA Badminton (USAB) and its board of directors received notifications from the U.S. Center for SafeSport (USCSS) regarding Notices of Decision that were issued on January 5, 2024.
The USCSS Notices of Decision stipulate that Linda French and Ken Wong are prohibited from “…participating, in any capacity, in any event, program, activity, or competition authorized by, organized by, or under the auspices of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC), the National Governing Bodies recognized by the USOPC, a Local Affiliated Organization as defined by the Code, or at a facility under the jurisdiction of the same.” The USAB board requested written clarification from the USCSS and received it on January 11, 2024.
Effective January 11, 2024, Linda French, CEO of USA Badminton, is suspended without pay, and Ken Wong is suspended from the USAB board. Both Linda French and Ken Wong are suspended from USA Badminton.
The USCSS Decisions are “Subject to appeal / not yet final”, as of January 11, 2024. The publicly available records are in the SafeSport Centralized Disciplinary Database (see screenshot below).
The USAB board has been working with the USOPC and the USCSS to stay in compliance with the Ted Stevens Act (the Act). As mandated in Section 220509(c)(2) of the Act, “If the corporation [USOPC] finds that an employee of the corporation or a national governing body has retaliated against a protected individual, the corporation or national governing body, as applicable, shall immediately terminate the employment of, or suspend without pay, such employee.”
We appreciate your patience and support as we navigate this process with the best interests of USA Badminton members and the badminton community in mind.