KUALA LUMPUR, June 30 — The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) decided to drop Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin, 27, from the 2018 Indonesia Asian Games, following the shuttler’s smoking episode during Thomas Cup in Bangkok and absence from training.
BAM president Datuk Seri Mohamad Norza Zakaria said, the national number five shuttler would be replaced by Soong Joo Ven, 23, for the regional Games based on national men’s singles head coach, Datuk Misbun Sidek’s recommendation.
Following the latest development, Joo Ven will join Datuk Lee Chong Wei, Lee Zii Jia, Leong Jun Hao, Tan Wee Kiong, Goh V Shem, Teo Ee Yi, Ong Yew Sin, Goh Soon Huat and Chan Peng Soon in the 10-man squad to the Indonesia.
With the vision to make BAM shuttlers free from nicotine, the national badminton governing body has also decided to conduct blood test on all shuttlers under BAM.
“We will conduct the first test soon and the players caught for smoking will be given three months to stop the habit. After three months, we will conduct another test and those found continuing the habit will be dropped from the national squad.
“We will give them three months because based on discussion with National Sports Institute, it takes about three months the remove the nicotine from body. We are serious in curbing the smoking habit.
“We cannot drop the players straight away because we afraid we might lose few important players. We have found about six players have smoking habit,” he told reporters after chairing the BAM Council meeting at the sidelines of the 2018 Malaysia Open at Axiata Arena, today.
Commenting on the performance of BAM players at the ongoing Malaysia Open, Mohamad Norza said the council members were dissatisfied with the performance of few players, especially 2016 Olympics men’s doubles silver medalists, Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong, who crashed out in quarterfinals as well as their inconsistency in few major tournaments before that.
The failure of three mixed doubles pairs, namely Chang Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying, Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Jemie Lai and Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing to advance to the second round, added to the pain of the council.
Mohamad Norza also warned the senior shuttlers in BAM to produce results, as the association’s tolerance level has reached its highest level.
“But on the whole, our investment in our young players especially the men’s doubles (Aaron Chia-Wooi Yik Soh) when facing world number one pair, Marcus Fernaldi Gideon-Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo (of Indonesia) as well as women’s singles players, Lee Ying Ying dan Goh Jin Wei are seeing results.
“They were seen to be improving…I think senior players have to be careful after this. The coaching and training committee has been given the task to establish KPI for them and they might be dropped from the national squad if they fail to achieve their KPI,” he said.
The meeting also decided to increase the liaison officers allowance after 15 years (from about RM60 to RM100), while all the national and state level tournaments organised third party organisers from Jan 1, 2019 must be sanctioned by BAM. — Bernama
