Source:Sipa USA/SOPA Images
[Saba Sports News] The Badminton Association of
Malaysia’s new training model has sparked controversy. With the decline of
badminton in Malaysia, the association plans to implement the new model after
the Paris Olympics. Their plan involves transforming all adult national team
players into free agents and shifting the focus towards developing young
players under the age of 19 in the national team. Under this model, players who
leave after the age of 19 will still have access to the facilities of the
Malaysian Badminton Academy, but they will have to bear the costs themselves.
This decision has raised eyebrows, especially considering that when Malaysian No.
1 player Lee Zii Jia requested to leave the association in January 2022, his
request was denied, causing a stir at the time. Now, two years later, the
association’s attitude seems to have drastically changed, leading to confusion
among observers. Some fans have jokingly suggested that the association might
be facing financial difficulties. In editor’s opinion, it is unlikely that the
Badminton Association of Malaysia will let go of all its players. Without star
players, it would be challenging for them to attract sponsors. The most
probable scenario is that the association will retain key players who have met
performance standards, such as Ng Tze Yong in men’s singles, Aaron Chia Teng
Fong and Soh Wooi Yik in men’s doubles, and Pearly Tan Koong Le and Thinaah
Muralitharan in women’s doubles, as well as Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei in
mixed doubles. Other adult players might be released from the team.