KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 26 (Bernama) -- The combination of professional players and those under the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) can strengthen the country’s challenge in the 2026 Thomas Cup competition in Horsens, Denmark, at the end of April, said Youth and Sports Minister Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari.
He is confident that the country’s top professional shuttler, Lee Zii Jia, and BAM players could team up well to provide a vital boost to their Thomas Cup campaign.
“I thank Zii Jia and the team for agreeing to join us in our quest for Thomas Cup glory, which was last achieved in 1992.
“Thank you, and this participation is made based on patriotism and the spirit of giving the very best for the country,” Mohammed Taufiq told reporters after launching the My Athlete Centre at the National Sports Council (NSC) Pavilion here today.
Zii Jia recently confirmed his readiness to assist Malaysia in the 2026 Thomas Cup campaign without making any demands to BAM.
On another matter, Mohammed Taufiq said he would meet the Road To Gold (RTG) programme committee soon to map out a clearer direction in pursuit of Malaysia’s first Olympic gold medal at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
“So far there are no changes (to RTG), and we will continue to work closely and hold discussions to ensure that the programme runs smoothly, and that we can achieve the targets we have set.
“But if there are any changes, I will issue a statement on what will be implemented. In the near future, I will also meet them to ensure our direction is clearer,” he said at the launch of the My Athlete Centre.
The government has allocated RM12 million for the implementation of the RTG programme in 2026.
The My Athlete Centre serves as a welfare and well-being hub for athletes, aimed at enriching their experience through mental health support and welfare management.
“Today I launched the My Athlete Centre, which is a hub for our athletes to relax, gather and unwind after a full day of training and so on.
“This involves an allocation of RM500,000, and as you can see the design is very modern and relaxed. We also want to ensure that our athletes are able to manage and control their stress after long training sessions,” he said.
-- BERNAMA
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