Kuala Lumpur: Lee Zii Jia’s coach, Wong Tat Meng, has voiced his concern over what he perceives as intimidation from higher authorities after the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) imposed a regulation stating that professional players should exclusively wear sportswear from BAM’s sponsored brands if they wish to train at the Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM) in Bukit Kiara, Malaysia.
The coach revealed his surprise at the timing of this rule, which has been enforced just as the team gears up for the World Badminton Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark, scheduled from August 21 to 27.
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“Before the World Championships, BAM informed us that professional players must wear only BAM-sponsored sportswear if they want to train together on Wednesday,” said Wong.
“I find this rule rather unexpected, particularly since it was implemented during the lead-up to the World Championships.”
“Starting last December, BAM has extended an invitation to Lee Zii Jia to train alongside other players from BAM every Wednesday. We’ve been honored to foster a mutually beneficial environment that aids BAM’s players in elevating their performance.”
“The sponsorship conflict doesn’t just affect BAM, but also our entire team, including Zii Jia, our coaching staff, and fitness experts. As a result, we were unable to accommodate ABM’s training invitation before our departure for Denmark.”
“In the midst of preparing for a significant competition, BAM’s persistence in this matter makes me feel like I’m being bullied by higher authorities.”
“Despite BAM’s mantra that all players, whether national or professional, are Malaysians and are fighting for the glory of the same country, this rule doesn’t reflect that sense of unity,” Wong shared in an Instagram post on Wednesday.
BAM currently holds a sponsorship agreement with Yonex, a prominent sports equipment company. However, Lee Zii Jia has his own sponsorship deal with Victor, which he secured after transitioning to become a professional player early last year.
Further elaborating, Wong Tat Meng, who took up the role of Lee Zii Jia’s coach just last month, explained that these remarks were made to avoid any perception that they are unwilling to cooperate with BAM.
“We hope to get a chance to discuss this matter with BAM in the future, as discontinuing collaboration between BAM and professional players could prove detrimental to Malaysian badminton.”
“In the end, our aim is to contribute to the well-being and success of Malaysia,” Wong emphasized.
Meanwhile, Lee Zii Jia himself posted a comment right after Wong’s Instagram post saying: “Don’t assume I’m refusing training due to arrogance. Aishhhhh…”
The comment has since garnered 1723 likes and 131 replies, with the majority showing support for Wong Tat Meng’s stance and expressing solidarity with Lee Zii Jia.
