BAM President Tan Sri Tengku Mahaleel Tengku Ariff (second from right) and XOX Group Managing Director Datuk Eddie Chai (second from left) exchanging documents after the signing of the MoU here. Also present are Malaysia’s top badminton player Datuk Lee Chong Wei (centre) and national men’s double team, Goh V Shem (right) and Lim Khim Wah (left). — Bernama photo
KUALA LUMPUR: With national singles player Datuk Lee Chong Wei expressing his intention to retire, the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) has admitted it has to strive harder to unearth calibre players for future badminton challenges.
BAM president Tan Sri Tengku Mahaleel Tengku Ariff said if Chong Wei insisted on hanging up his racket, the younger players, second liners and coaches would have to work harder under BAM’s new system.
“Physically, Lee Chong Wei can still play. However, perhaps due to age factor, he cannot stand prolonged training as well as continuous tournaments.”
He told reporters this after signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between BAM and telecommunications company, XOX Berhad, at the Bukit Kiara Sports Complex, here yesterday.
BAM was represented by Tengku Mahaleel and honourary secretary Ng Chin Chai while XOX Berhad was represented by its group managing director Datuk Eddie Chai and managing director Ng Kok Heng.
The event was witnesed by BAM players, among them, Chong Wei, doubles players Goh V Shem-Lim Khim Wah and singles player, Chong Wei Feng.
Tengku Mahaleel said he had not discussed with Chong Wei on his stated plan to retire and hoped the world’s number one player would reconsider his decision.
Meanwhile, a BAM committee member said Chong Wei was still a 2016 Olympic medal hopeful.
“But it is not fair to put the gold medal challenge on him, maybe just for a medal,” said the officer who declined to be identified.
Met by reporters after the ceremony, Chong Wei said he was hard-pressed for time with his family and thought the best decision was to retire.
“I will review my performance at the end of the year before I decide on the next step,” said Chong Wei who has a nine-month-old son.
At another function, Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said he respected Chong Wei’s decision to retire and that it was fair of the 32-year-old Olympic silver medallist to express his desire to retire. — Bernama