KUALA LUMPUR – Team Lee Zii Jia’s (LZJ) criticism of the dress code set by Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM) for professional players to train at the academy in Bukit Kiara here is not fair to the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM).
BAM technical advisory panel member Datuk Seri Jalani Sidek said Zii Jia should be grateful for the opportunity provided by BAM to allow professional players to train at ABM.
The former national doubles ace said Zii Jia should not blow up petty issues like the dress code because the player, who is currently ranked 13 in the world, has been given the special privilege to train with other players and talent under BAM.
“Naturally, if there are a set of rules and regulations, there is a need to follow… issues like this should not arise and it is not fair to the stakeholder.
“If you want to seek knowledge or experience (training at ABM), that you cannot get elsewhere, you need to sacrifice,” he told reporters during a press conference held together with his elder brother Datuk Misbun Sidek, here today.
Jalani also agreed with the criticism from badminton legend Datuk Lee Chong Wei towards Zii Jia regarding the training issue raised by Zii Jia recently.
Chong Wei was earlier reported as saying that Zii Jia was intentionally creating an issue due to his running battle with the national body (BAM).
Last Wednesday, Team LZJ coaching director Wong Tat Meng had, in his Instagram post, said he was really surprised and felt like being “bullied” by a big brother after BAM made it compulsory for professional players to wear attire that reflected the name of the national body’s sponsor when training at ABM.
Zii Jia commented on Tat Meng’s post, saying: “Do not say I am ‘big-headed’ if I don’t come for training. Aishhhhh... it’s very difficult to be LZJ, because everything is wrong, I am confused”.
BAM deputy president 1 Datuk V. Subramanian, in a statement yesterday, said the requirement is only for attire and professional players can continue to use shoes or rackets from their respective sponsors, when training at ABM.
BAM had, last year, opened ABM courts for professional players to train every Wednesday and Friday. – Bernama, August 20, 2023
