KUALA LUMPUR – Hall of Famer Datuk Lee Chong Wei has called on the Badminton World Federation (BWF) to decrease the number of tournaments in a year and increase the prize money.
The three-time Olympic silver medalist said he wants quality over quantity.
“I think badminton is only about quantity now with back-to-back tournaments; players are not robots.
“The sport right now is crazy; there are non-stop tournaments, and many players are getting injured. “The BWF should decrease the number of tournaments,” he said at the BWF Hall of Fame induction press conference yesterday.
The three-time World Championships silver medalist was inducted into the Hall of Fame alongside long-time rival Lin Dan.
He joins fellow Malaysians Wong Peng Soon, Tan Yee Khan, Ong Poh Lim, Ng Boon Bee, Eddy Choong, and David Choong in the BWF Hall of Fame.
The Malaysian Masters is currently taking place at the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur. Following that, players will travel to Thailand, Singapore, and Indonesia over the next three weeks due to the hectic schedule.
The former world number one says that badminton should learn from tennis.
“Look at tennis; they have a few big tournaments and the four Grand Slams.
“We should increase the amount of prize money and focus only on a few big tournaments, so the quality is better,” said Chong Wei, who held the world number one spot for a record 349 weeks. – The Vibes, May 27, 2023
