PETALING JAYA: Roslin Hashim has questioned the timing of the Badminton Association of Malaysia’s (BAM) new rule.
The BAM introduced a new rule which does not allow independent players to train once a week at the Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM) in Bukit Kiara if they do not wear apparel that share the same sponsors as the national team.
BAM’s current official sponsor is Japanese sports equipment brand Yonex.
Players are also allowed to wear plain apparel but are not permitted to wear apparel with brands from other badminton sponsors.
The new rule came to light after independent men’s singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia’s coach Wong Tat Meng took to social media to hit out at the BAM on Wednesday.
Tat Meng aired his frustrations that Zii Jia, who was sponsored by Victor, had to turn down BAM’s invitation to train due to the new rule just a week before the World Championships is set to kick off in Copenhagen.
“I have never heard about this rule from BAM before until Wednesday,” said Roslin, who is also a member of BAM’s technical advisory panel (TAP).
“My question is how come this issue never came about when the independent players trained at ABM before the Sudirman Cup in May?
“BAM never came up with any rules like this at that time when they invited the independent players for a joint training camp.
“So, it’s questionable why they will do so now just before a big tournament like the world championships.
“Is it that BAM have their own agenda? Because it does not make sense for BAM to suddenly come up with this rule.”
Roslin also believes that BAM need to be fair to independent players.
“Independent players have obligations to don their sponsors’ apparel when training and competing,” said Roslin.
“Even Yonex will definitely know this.
“Then why are they forcing the players to wear apparel with their logo when they are only training at ABM once a week?
“The independent players’ sponsors will also not like it if they wear plain apparel.
“They (sponsors) will be questioning why the players are not wearing apparel with their logos.
“BAM should have clarified this rule when they gave the green light to independent players to train at ABM.”
