KUALA LUMPUR – Mixed doubles pair Chan Peng Soon and Cheah Yee See is leaving the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM), said secretary-general Datuk Kenny Goh today.
The pair will leave the national body on November 30.
This is following Peng Soon’s former partner Goh Liu Ying’s announcement she will retire from the sport after the 2023 Malaysian Open in January.
Kenny said BAM had tried to convince the pair to stay, but their minds were made up.
“Peng Soon, as a senior player and an Olympic silver medallist, we really needed his experience. He has also helped us a lot in training the younger players.
“We have also talked to both and tried to convince them to stay, but they felt disappointed with their results in the French Open and Denmark Open (first-round exit).
“So, they said it was the best decision they could make.”
Peng Soon, 34, and 26-year-old Yee See were paired up in June as part of BAM’s strategy to qualify them for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Following the announcement, the national set-up is now left with eight mixed doubles players – Toh Ee Wei, Choong Hon Jian, Chen Tang Jie, Hoo Pang Ron, Yap Ling, Loo Bing Kun, Yap Cheng Wen, and Go Pei Kee.
Meanwhile, doubles coaching director Rexy Mainaky dismissed speculation that the mixed doubles department has “no direction and planning” for the Paris Olympics.
“The rumours that we have no direction and planning are not true. We have our review of the players, and we have our plans for our younger players.
“We have young female players like 22-year-old Ee Wei and 20-year-old Go Pei Kee Valeree, while the male shuttlers are 22-year-old Hon Jian, and 24-year-olds Tang Jie and Pang Ron.
“So, please give us some time to strategise for the 2024 Olympics.” – The Vibes, November 4, 2022