I am shocked to know that Lee Zi Jia is being unfairly banned by BAM for 2 years. Contrary to popular belief, Lee Zii Jia has not retired but he is being banned! Apparently, the ignorant and foolish officials from the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) have decided to ban him from playing in any international badminton tournaments for at least 2 years. After everything that he has done for BAM and Malaysia, this is how they treat him? What is wrong with choosing a better future for yourself? I can't help but feel that this manipulative BAM has acted arrogantly to flex its non-existent muscles.
Lee Zii Jia Is Unfairly Banned By BAM For 2 Years-This is Revenge!
Currently, the number 1 badminton player in Malaysia, Lee Zii Jia had earlier tendered his resignation to BAM. Unfortunately, his decision to quit the BAM's national team did not go down well with the top echelons at the Badminton Association of Malaysia. However, make no mistake that Lee Zii Jia has never ever said that he does not want to represent his beloved country-Malaysia in badminton tournaments. So why does BAM insist on banning or should I "cancel" Lee Zii Jia?
The Reasons Why Lee Zii Jia Has Been banned by BAM?
Lee Zii Jia still wants to represent Malaysia but...
Lee Zii Jia has quit BAM to be an independent badminton player and he still wants to carry on playing for the country. In fact, his decision to resign from the mediocre or should I say lousy BAM's national team should be viewed positively as he feels that BAM is not doing enough to help everyone including him to improve. Then again, the poorly run Badminton Association of Malaysia had decided not to let him compete in any badminton competitions anymore in a blatant act of revenge, no?
BAM Is Ruining Lee Zii Jia's Career and Life
Instead of supporting Lee Zii Jia to improve or at least to let him carry on to represent the country as an independent player, the Badminton Association of Malaysia slapped him with a 2-year ban! BAM deputy president Jahaberdeen Mohamed Yunoos has claimed that they DID NOT BAN Lee Zii Jia but they would not register Lee Zii Jia for any tournaments for two years effective from January 18. Really? It is incredulous that BAM had the cheek to say something so stupid! Their obsession for power and to show who is the boss has harmed Lee Zii Jia's career and life. Are they even listening to themselves?
Lee Zii Jia Has Not Done Anything Wrong!
All badminton fans know that to play in any Badminton World Federation (BWF)-sanctioned tournaments, shuttlers have to be registered via their national associations. So this means that by refusing to register Lee Zii Jia for any BWF tournaments, they are directly BANNING him from representing the country. I cannot believe that BAM has stooped this low trying to murder a patriotic sportsman's career. Do not forget that Lee Zii Jia has not broken any rules by quitting the national team overseen by BAM! Yet they are doing this to him! What a shame! Mind you Lee Zii Jia is not the first player to suffer from such ill-advised misstreatment!
The People in BAM Who Want To Ban Lee Zii Jia
Photo credit: NST
Jahaberdeen, who is also the BAM Legal Advisory Committee chairman, claimed that they had held a few meetings with Lee Zii Jia who is currently ranked 7th in the world right after he tendered his resignation letter on January 11. Lee Zii Jia has made 3 requests and unfortunately, BAM did not want to approve any of them, claiming that they are unfeasible. Let's look at the 3 demands made by Lee Zii Jia, shall we?
Lee Zii Jia's 3 Demands For BAM:
- His very own coaching and support team
- Planning and organizing his own badminton tournaments
- Having his own sponsors
Obviously, all 3 demands made by Lee Zii Jia are valid and justified. What is wrong with having your own coaching and support team? He is a world-class player and needs to be treated professionally like one. What is wrong with organizing more badminton tournaments to discover and groom new badminton players for Malaysia? What is wrong to have his own sponsors who can directly support him and spur him to greater heights? Lee Zii Jia did not demand to have his wages increased and yet BAM is slapping him with a band?
Goh Jin Wei was BANNED by BAM as well!
Do you still remember Malaysia's best female badminton player-Goh Jin Wei who suddenly retired from badminton due to so-called "health reasons"? It turns out that she has quit badminton because BAM has slapped a similar ban on her for deciding to go independent! Again, due to BAM's ignorant and arrogance our former junior world champion Goh Jin Wei has stopped doing what's she is best at. Her ban is effective from October 31, 2021. Shame on you BAM!
BAM Should Apologise to Lee Zii Jia Right Now!
Clearly, the foul, putrid stench that BAM is emanating hangs densely in the air and is now palpable all over the world! Other international badminton players have come out to defend Lee Zii Jia. He is not doing anything wrong and yet the Badminton Association of Malaysia is treating him like a criminal. What is wrong with leaving a poorly managed "company" to fully realize your potential? Zii Jia has offered suggestions to help improve BAM but they are not bothered. Again I have to repeat that Lee Zii Jia still wants to play for his country. What BAM has done is tantamount to crime if you ask me. In actual fact, BAM should apologise to Lee Zii Jia right now!
BWF Should Change Its Rules For Qualified Shuttlers
After this ridiculous banning of Lee Zii Jia by BAM (even though he has done nothing wrong), the Badminton World Federation (BWF) should allow any qualified badminton players to compete in international tournaments without going through their respective national association. It is time to do away with such rules and regulations that can be abused and prevent enthusiastic players from being victimised like Lee Zii Jia! Hopefully, BWF will issue an official letter to BAM, demanding the association to retract its groundless ban. Then again, I hope that BWF will ban BAM!
Lee Zii Jia Should Migrate To Singapore
If worse comes to worst, Lee Zii Jia should just migrate to Singapore and play for our neighbouring country. Nobody should be unfairly treated when you have not done anything wrong in the first place. Why bow down to dim-witted people in the BAM who do not want to see improvement? Even if they were to admit it was a faux pas, Zii Jia should move on to either being independent or migrating to somewhere he will be cherished. I am sure Singapore Badminton Association will gleefully accept Lee Zii Jia with arms wide open. Still, this episode is an "unforced error" committed by BAM and has truly exposed how rotten our national badminton association has become.
Justice for Lee Zii Jia and Goh Jin Wei
It is a sad day indeed to know about such an embarrassing episode. I hope those irresponsible officials at BAM who have made such baseless decisions will be held accountable. No politics and egoistic people should interfere with the development of sports, especially our beloved badminton. Hopefully, Lee Zii Jia and Goh Jin Wei can still represent our country to play badminton. Justice for Lee Zii Jia! Justice for Goh Jin Wei!
Very unfair indeed!
ReplyDeleteAccording to feng shui, what will happen to him?
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