Malaysia’s top badminton star banned after quitting national team
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Kuala Lumpur (AFP) – Malaysian badminton ace Lee Zii Jia, rated seventh in the world, was Friday banned from tournaments for two yrs as a punishment for quitting his countrywide crew to go independent.
Lee has been held up as the heir to Malaysian legend Lee Chong Wei, growing swiftly up the rankings and scoring a breakthrough victory at the prestigious All England Open up past yr.
Adhering to some very poor performances in modern months, which includes at the Olympics, the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) disclosed this week he had stop the physique and wanted to perform as an unbiased.
But the affiliation refused to back again the move, in its place determining to punish him with a two-year ban from all tournaments sanctioned by earth governing human body the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
BWF sanctions the extensive the vast majority of tournaments on the badminton calendar, and each individual country’s affiliation is responsible for registering its gamers — which means the Malaysian physique can successfully block Lee from competing.
BAM mentioned the 23-year-aged had cited “the force of currently being in the countrywide facet” and the “regimented lifestyle” at Malaysia’s badminton academy as causes for quitting.
The system sought to persuade him to remain through talks but ultimately made a decision they could not agreed to his requires, which provided having his personal workforce of coaches and assistance team.
“Clearly we sense very sad” about Lee’s selection, BAM deputy president Jahaberdeen Mohamed Yunoos instructed reporters, adding it could have an impact on training programmes and the body’s funds.
But he extra the player can charm to return.
Lee, earlier seen as just one of Malaysia’s ideal hopes of winning the country’s 1st ever Olympic gold medal, has nevertheless to comment publicly given that information emerged he was chopping ties with BAM.
World amount one particular Viktor Axelsen of Denmark earlier this week voiced help for Lee’s choice to go unbiased, tweeting that “it is his career and his existence right after all”.
The BWF has not commented specially on Lee’s case.
But in a assertion Thursday, its secretary common Thomas Lund noted there was a precedent of independent gamers and a country’s member affiliation reaching an agreement whereby the association submits entries into tournaments for the players.
Badminton is one of the couple of sports in which Malaysia performs well internationally.
3-time Olympic silver medallist Lee Chong Wei, who retired in 2019, was a person of the finest gamers of his generation.
© 2022 AFP
