Source:REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq
[Saba Sports News] Recently, former Malaysian national doubles player Tan Boon Heong expressed that Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei, newly appointed as a council member of the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM), should not be merely a “figurehead” but should be granted real authority. Tan stated that as a three-time Olympic silver medalist and three-time World Championships runner-up, Lee should be given full freedom to leverage his extensive knowledge and experience to elevate Malaysian badminton. Tan emphasized that Lee’s role must be clearly defined and should not involve merely attending council meetings without tangible impact. Lee’s inclusion will undoubtedly help BAM, and since they have invited him, he should be given the power to formulate plans and manage affairs – he should not be just a nominal appointee. It depends on whether he is allowed to drive changes. If he only attends meetings, I don’t think it will be of much use. He must have real authority so his ideas can take effect, as he understands everything from start to finish and has rich experience. So I hope he will be given enough space to manage things properly. It is reported that details of Lee’s role are expected to be announced at the next council meeting in October. In the past, Lee has contributed informally to BAM and participated in various voluntary task forces set up by the association.