KUALA LUMPUR: The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) are ready to “move on” with out the nation’s prime participant Lee Zii Jia for the subsequent two years.
Yesterday, the nationwide physique took a robust stance by deciding not to register the 23-year-old All-England champion for all of the Badminton World Federation-sanctioned (BWF) tournaments, efficient Jan 18, on account of him leaving the nationwide crew prematurely.
The choice means Zii Jia’s profession will take an enormous beating and the world No. 7 is ready to drop out of the world rating.
He was not the one one who confronted the results for turning professional – his junior and former nationwide No. 1 ladies’s singles shuttler Goh Jin Wei (pic) was additionally punished.
She has additionally been barred for 2 years from competing in tournaments, efficient from Oct 31 final yr. Two-time world junior champion Jin Wei had just lately introduced her intention to make a aggressive return as an expert below the KLRC banner regardless of having introduced her retirement not too way back.
But it’s the absence of Zii Jia that can actually weaken the nationwide crew and jeopardise their bid to contend for podium spots at a number of main multisport Games that embody the Hangzhou Asian Games, Birmingham Commonwealth Games and Vietnam SEA Games.
There’re additionally the Thomas and Uber Cup Finals in Bangkok, the place the qualifiers for these two prestigious biennial crew tournaments are slated to be held in Shah Alam from Feb 15-20.
While admitting that this may very well be a setback for the nationwide secure, BAM deputy president II Datuk Seri Jahaberdeen Mohd Yunoos stated they most well-liked to look on the brilliant aspect.
“Obviously we feel extremely sad because the story of Malaysian badminton in the last few years has always been about Lee Chong Wei,” stated Jahaberdeen.
“We had been trying very hard to build new talent and we have produced a budding talent in the name of Lee Zii Jia and few others, and we wanted them to be inspiring examples to others.
“But when this thing happened (Zii Jia quitting the national team), BAM, as a governing body, have got to do something.
“We’ve got to move on because there’s a need for us to ensure that the existing players are not discouraged, our sponsors too.
“BAM are much bigger than any single player. The quest to train another world-class player must go on.
“This could be just a temporary setback on one hand, while on the other hand this could be a time for another player to step into the shoes of Zii Jia.
“We can’t just look at the negative side of things.”
The door, nevertheless, isn’t solely shut for each Zii Jia and Jin Wei as they’ll nonetheless enchantment their punishment.
The BAM are nonetheless harbouring hopes that the duo will make a U-turn on their choice like what former World Junior Championships silver medallist Toh Ee Wei did beforehand. Ee Wei give up the crew, was barred from competing however later, she returned to the nationwide fold.
“BAM are compassionate and we are ready to welcome back these players with open arms, if they are ready to appeal,” stated Jahaberdeen.
“It has happened in the past with Toh Ee Wei (mixed doubles). She also faced a two-year sanction but she appealed and we took her back in.”
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