The feedback and follow up by ABC while commendable, seems rather bipolar behavior as all comments made regarding these coaches in question seems designed to distance ABC as far as possible from these “freelance” coaches in question.
ABC really does not benefit from having these coaches operate in their facility? Say that coaches get paid directly from customers – ABC does not charge coaches for facility usage fee? ABC does not benefit in other ways such as reputation, additional membership, etc.,?
To me, the fact that training takes place at ABC and ABC markets these coaches (website) constitutes affiliation, therefore shared responsibility, even if not directly employed for pay.
Regardless, I would expect facilities such as ABC to not only verify qualifications but also perform detailed background check on every coaching candidates for the sake of the kids that are being taught.
Also, an exaggeration/misrepresentation is one thing, but saying that a person won a prestigious badminton tournament when in fact, the person did not, is a just an outright lie that goes against all confirmed & recorded results. There is a big difference.
And don't even compare this to eating a bad food and complaining about it years later for a refund since I don’t think OP states anywhere about when they realized the questionable qualification of these coaches but rather suggests that the discovery was recent event.
I would be pissed off too if someone advertised that they were qualified at something but in fact lied about that qualification or level of it to attain/retain my business no matter how much time went by. And I really do think past tournament wins/results are being used by badminton coaches and facilities as proof that this person is qualified to teach/coach badminton since there is no "official" certification or standards to measure coaching knowledge/skill.
If the coaching services were retained even after the discovery of dubious qualifications then I agree that it is conveniently selective to voice any complaints now.
This is not to say that I agree with OP and his friend’s opinion on this matter.
OP stated that the kid in question was playing against another kid with far better skills also from ABC. Huh? Hmm… perhaps same coaches at same facility… different kids… different level of play = one kid is more gifted/interested in badminton than the other? I mean who’s to say that the kid in question is not particularly gifted or perhaps just not motivated to improve in badminton which can explain the lack of improvement over 2 years?
And badminton at young age should be more about fun in exercise, learning, social interaction, etc., and less about how my son is better than other kids. Additionally only because a coach may or may not have lied on what tournaments were won in the past does not constitute the individual as a poor coach but rather an unethical one if lying indeed took place.
On a similar note, asking for refund for services which obviously were rendered to the father’s reasonable expectations (father was always there OP said) is quite unfair. Even if the qualifications advertised were partially untrue, the coaches obviously had to expertise and capability and coached/trained this kid.
It seems to me that a misguided parental ambition for their kid (either that or money) is the motivating factor that is inciting such resentment in this case.
Forget about the money and forget about coach not winning few tournaments in the past really don’t matter or even how little your kid improved compared to another…
What’s really important is do I really want this coach who is proved to be unethical, teaching my kid? Do I want my kid to continue to attend a facility that knowingly affiliates itself with such coaches?