KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 3 — Former World Junior Champion Goh Jin Wei said she will be playing as an independent player for the time-being, despite receiving an offer to rejoin the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM).
The 21-year-old Penang-born shuttler, who regretted her decision to abruptly quit the national team last year, said she couldn’t accept the offer because she was unable to give 100 per cent commitment and can’t fulfil the national team’s requirements due to health issues.
The singles gold medallist at the 2015 and 2018 World Junior Championship said she also didn’t want to take away other players’ opportunities by rejoining the national team now.
“I am deeply honoured to be invited to the national team, I can’t even begin to explain how much this means to me. I really wish to continue playing regardless of any level or status,” she said through a video uploaded in her YouTube page on Sunday.
“I would like to express my deepest thanks to the national team for having faith in me. For everything our BAM president Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria has done. I just want to let you know how thankful I am for your help and your kind words truly means a lot to me,” she added.
Jin Wei, however, is determined to get back on track to ensure that she is fully ready to serve the country in the future.
In September last year, the 2017 SEA Games champion shocked the badminton fraternity by announcing her retirement, citing long term recovery after a surgery to remove part of her colon due to a stomach ailment in 2019.
Jin Wei, however, made a quick comeback as an independent player at the recent Purple League Pro-Am 2021, playing in women’s and mixed doubles for Butterworth BC, which finish in second place. — Bernama
