CHONG WEI TO LEAD BAM PERFORMANCE COMMITTEE, VOWS CLOSE COOPERATION WITH COACHES

PETALING JAYA, Oct 18 (Bernama) -- National badminton legend Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei has been appointed as the chairman of the Badminton Association of Malaysia’s (BAM) Performance Committee, marking a significant move to strengthen the national body’s efforts in revitalising the sport’s excellence.

BAM president Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz said Chong Wei’s appointment, along with three other new council members, was made based on their expertise and vast experience in their respective fields.

“We have appointed four new members of the BAM Council. Other than Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei, we have Tan Sri Gooi Hoe Soon, Datuk Seri Shazalli Ramly and Datuk Sunil Abraham. They are all experts in their respective fields.

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“And at the BAM Council, we have agreed on the committee chairmen for nearly all of the committees, and these four individuals will be chairing those committees. Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei, for example, is on the Performance Committee,” he told reporters after chairing the BAM Council meeting here today.

Tengku Zafrul added that BAM has also restructured its existing committees, streamlining them from 14 to 10 in line with the Tangkis 2030 strategic plan.

“Out of the 10 committees, we have agreed to appoint nine chairmen. All of them are council members. Apart from that, we will also invite external experts based on their experience, passion and expertise in badminton,” he said, while confirming that he will not be chairing any committee.

Meanwhile, he said today’s BAM Council meeting had formally and officially adopted the Tangkis 2030, which was initially presented in August, as the official plan for BAM moving forward.

He also emphasised that the Tangkis 2030 is not just a BAM plan but one for the entire badminton community in Malaysia.

“It is important to note that BAM can only play an effective role if it is in a strong financial position. Therefore, the expansion of investment and commercial efforts will be the main focus of BAM to ensure the success of this plan,” he said.

In the meantime, Chong Wei said his main priority as chairman of the Performance Committee will be to work closely with all coaches to help improve the performance of the national athletes.

“I have to work hand in hand with the coaches to identify the athletes’ problems - sometimes they win, sometimes they lose - so we need to understand what actually happens during competitions. That’s the first thing I need to find out.

“I will work hard with the coaches to see how we can help the athletes perform better,” said the former world number one men’s singles player.

-- BERNAMA