Has the Badminton Association of Malaysia lost its
plot?
That seems to be the indication with several baffling
moves made of late as the national body even snubbed the media last Saturday
with regards to naming of the new doubles combinations.
Efforts to seek clarification from BAM President
Tengku Tan Sri Mahaleel Tengku Ariff proved futile over the past three days.
To be fair, even prior to this episode, BAM has been
rather evasive of the media and the latest episode will surely further strain
the relations.
The fickle mindedness of the officials within BAM
needs to be changed if they harbor hopes of badminton surviving the pitfalls on
the court.
With the Olympic Council of Malaysia having decided
that October 10 was the last day for entries by name for the SEA Games, it is
indeed peculiar as to why BAM has opted to keep the list close to their chest.
OCM can make the list public, but they too have opted
not to reveal the names, so as not to offend BAM, thus making them guilty be
association.
With the BAM playing games on the new pairings for the
doubles, they may have forgotten that they have to stick with the names they
had submitted to OCM.
Those listed as doubles pairings for the SEA Games are
Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon Heong with Tan Wee
Kiong-Hoon Thien How and Goh V Shem-Lim Khim Wah, the other two pairs who have
also been registered.
Among the shuttlers BAM has registered are men's singles,
Lee Chong Wei, Liew Daren and Chong Wei
Feng and mixed doubles Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying and they are in the A Category.
The likes of women singles players, Sonia Cheah, Tee Jing
Yi, as well as doubles pairing of Vivian Hoo/Woon Khe Wei will travel on
Category B, meaning BAM will have to fork out the expenses and be reimbursed if
they win at least a silver.
