PETALING JAYA: Should Lee Chong Wei be the new chief executive officer of Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM)?
Many think so but not the three-time silver medal winner himself.
“I know, many have asked me to consider. This is not the time,” said Chong Wei.
On Wednesday, Michelle Chai dropped a bombshell by resigning from her post as the ABM CEO while high performance director Tim Jones was relieved of his duties following the women team’s unexpected quarter-final exit to the Philippines at the SEA Games on Monday.
Chong Wei, however, definitely thinks the timing of Michelle’s resignation is all wrong.
“You don’t do it right in the middle of the competition.
‘‘The Games is still ongoing, why add pressure on the players?” said Chong Wei.
“I think this is totally wrong. Whatever decision should have been made after the SEA Games is over or announced later.’’
On the poor result of the girls, Chong Wei was more compassionate.
“I know it’s hard to accept defeat against the Philippines but we must consider the team that we sent. Mostly have just graduated from the Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) and had to face the best from the Philippines.
“One was sick on top of that. I mean, before anything, we should have looked at all aspects.
“Rey Mainaky was a coach there for some time and so was Rosman Razak, so the quality of the players in the Philippines have improved. We can’t have a mindset that others are always far behind us in standard.
“Having said that, we too must improve, and we could have sent a stronger team.”
The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) approved of the younger ones for the Cambodia Games while they sent their best for the Sudirman Cup, which partly coincided with the biennial Games.
Independent shuttlers like Vivian Hoo and Lim Chiew Sien could have been included to make the team more balanced.
While disagreeing with the awkward time the news broke, Chong Wei said he, however, did not agree with Michelle’s decision to leave.
“She has left too soon. She was just hired more than six months ago. It’s not her or the changes she made that caused these players to lose, she is just putting things in place,” he said.
“Those who have been there longer should be answerable,” added the former great, although he did not elaborate.
