KUALA LUMPUR, May 8 — National doubles coaching director Rexy Mainaky has stressed that national badminton players should not continue committing disciplinary mistakes after being repeatedly warned by the coaching staff.

He said the situation of players who still fail to change despite multiple reminders is like “talking to a wall”.

Rexy said warnings were part of the game but players should not take things for granted.

“So don’t let it reach a third warning or even a fourth warning. But if you have been warned 10 times, are we talking to a wall or to human beings?” he told reporters at Academy Badminton Malaysia in Bukit Kiara today.

Rexy said this when asked to comment on Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) Performance Committee chairman Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei’s recent statement that disciplinary issues must be taken seriously if the national squad is to return to competing at the highest level in world badminton. 

According to Rexy, he could not agree more with the national badminton legend’s view, as discipline is the most important element in shaping an athlete’s success.

“In any field, not just sports, everything is related to discipline. That is what determines whether we can succeed or not in the future,” he said.

Rexy explained that disciplinary issues do not necessarily mean players refuse to listen to coaches, but are more about awareness of their responsibilities as national athletes.

He said many players are still young and sometimes forget that they are now representing the country and are constantly under public scrutiny.

“Players must understand they are no longer ordinary people. Whatever they do will be watched by everyone because the public wants to see them succeed,” he said.

At the same time, Rexy stressed that every professional team in the world has its own rules that must be followed without compromise, including in football, where heavy fines are imposed for disciplinary breaches.

He said BAM still practises a more open and considerate approach in developing players, but athletes must not take the leniency for granted.

“These rules are not because we do not like the players, but because discipline is what will help them achieve success,” he said. — Bernama