KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 16 — The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) has no issue about crack men’s doubles pair Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong wanting to follow in the footsteps of mixed doubles pair Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying, said its president Datuk Seri Mohamad Norza Zakaria.
Peng Soon and Liu Ying recently left BAM to become independent shuttlers.
“I met up with Wee Kiong and V Shem, discussed their future. It was more on their plans for important tournaments next year and preparing for the 2020 Olympics qualification round.
“If they need our support, BAM will help... but based on our discussion, there was nothing said about they wanting to leave BAM,” he told reporters when met at the National Sports Council (MSN) Bukit Jalil here today.
Media reports today had stated that V Shem and Wee Kiong were contemplating taking the same path as Peng Soon-Liu Ying.
Meanwhile, former badminton great Ong Ewe Hock said the move by top shuttlers to leave BAM was a good development.
Ong, who was with the Malaysian team who were three-time runners up in the Thomas Cup, said the sport had changed so much that shuttlers could now carve a career for themselves in it as independent professionals.
He called on clubs and private companies to take advantage of the situation by signing up these “free” players on contracts as was being done in countries like Japan, Taiwan and Thailand. — Bernama
