KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 29 — Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) performance committee chairman Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei confirmed that the country’s top doubles pair Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik will return to team up again after the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games from Sept 19 to Oct 4.

Chong Wei said the decision was reached as a result of a ‘heart-to-heart’ discussion between him, the coaching staff and the players yesterday, which saw the pair committed to continuing their struggle together to face upcoming tournaments including the 2028 Olympic Games target.

However, for the Asian Games, Aaron Chia will take on the challenge with Tee Kai Wun while Wooi Yik is not on the list of players for Aichi-Nagoya after the coaching staff decided to try a ‘scratch pair’ strategy.

Chong Wei explained that the decision to select players for the Asian Games was made based on the recommendation of the coaches who wanted the best conditions and performance to chase medals in the quadrennial tournament.

“At that time, the coach said he wanted a scratch pair, right? He wanted to try to see who would be the best partner. That’s the coach, give me the name, okay, we just submit. We have to choose the best condition, the best players go to the Asian Games. Because I’ve said the Asian Games is every four years.

“I told Rexy after this Asian Games, they (Aaron-Wooi Yik) will be back as partners until 2028. But don’t just go halfway, there’s a problem we can’t change,” he told reporters here after the Lee Chong Wei Cup badminton tournament at Juara Stadium, Bukit Kiara, here, today.

Commenting on the players’ aggrieved feelings who claimed they were not brought to discuss the temporary split, Chong Wei explained that he had resolved the misunderstanding in the meeting.

“I told Wooi Yik and Aaron, it’s okay. Now we close this chapter. They said they want to to go to the 2028 Olympic. Okay, you want to be on the same page, you want to go, okay,” he said.

Meanwhile, the national badminton legend also expressed his feelings about the challenges of shouldering the responsibility as chairman of the performance committee, which often faces various controversies and harsh criticism on social media.

Chong Wei admitted that the position he currently holds is not an easy task, especially when there are those who compare his personal achievements with the status of the players under his supervision now.

“There are a lot of people commenting, some are angry with me, I can accept. Because if you make any decision, it’s not easy, this place. But I accept people being angry with me because there are also people saying ‘You’re not a world champion, you’re taking care of the world champion.’ Yes, it’s not easy to sit in this place,” he said.

He insisted that all decisions made were in the interest of the country and BAM, not based on personal interests or dislike for any particular player.

He also reminded players to always remember the services of those who have helped them from the early stages until they succeeded to the current level.

“Before you were nothing, now you have something, who brought you? Don’t forget who helped you. This is my principle. I knew I was zero until I got the world number one, until I got a lot of championships, right? I will not forget the people who took care of me,” he said.

Chong Wei also stressed that he had never thought of leaving BAM throughout his career as an athlete because the principle of loyalty to the country outweighed all the internal conflicts he had ever faced. — Bernama