Passion for sports intact: Ang Li Peng will be making her Olympic debut in Paris, in a new role as someone who safeguards both the athletes’ and officials’ welfare.
PETALING JAYA: When badminton gold medallist Ang Li Peng hung up her racquet right before the 2004 Athens Olympics, she left one goal still unfulfilled – qualifying for and competing in the world’s ultimate sporting stage.
Deciding to leave the badminton court at the peak of her career after winning the 2002 Commonwealth Games women’s doubles gold medal with Lim Pek Siah in Manchester, Li Peng moved to the legal court where she pursued a career in law.
Living a relatively low-profile life away from the sports scene, Li Peng’s legal career reached great heights that saw her establish her own legal firm.
Been there, done that: Ang Li Peng (right) and Lim Pek Siah posing with their 2002 Commonwealth Games gold medals in the women’s doubles.
But despite her success, Li Peng never lost sight of her passion for sports, particularly the Olympic movement.
“I always wanted to do something related to the Olympics.
“As a badminton player, I retired before the Athens Olympics, so I didn’t actually give myself the chance to at least try and qualify for the Olympics.
“So I’ve always felt that it was something that was missing in me,” said the 42-year-old.
Not wanting to give up on her Olympic dreams, Li Peng’s journey took an intriguing turn when she discovered courses offered by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) during a competition a few years back.
Her conversation with an official from the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) sparked an interest in the safeguarding aspects of sports.
“I asked them what Olympic courses I could take as the IOC offer courses, certificates, diplomas.
“They mentioned something very new - safeguarding officers for sports. It sounded very interesting, so I thought maybe I could give it a try, and I signed up,” she said.
After completing her IOC safeguarding course in 2021, her newfound knowledge and certification opened doors to various opportunities, which have now positioned her as the safeguarding officer for the national contingent heading for the Paris Olympics.
Li Peng will be making her Olympic debut in Paris, albeit in a different role compared to her time as a shuttler.
But she’s looking forward to contributing to the national team in her new role and capacity as someone who safeguards both the athletes’ and officials’ welfare during the Paris Olympics taking place from July 26-Aug 11.
She was also invited as a guest speaker for a sports administrators’ course under the Olympic Solidarity programme.
Li Peng has no regrets about pursuing her legal career after her time on the badminton court but feels that it’s time that she contributes to the sporting ecosystem in new ways.
“I have no regrets about choosing law as my career. I have my own legal firm with my parents.
“But after a few years, I think it is the right time for me to go back into sports and contribute what I know, and at the same time learn things that I didn’t.
“Safeguarding athletes was something I didn’t know much about before, but now I can return to the sporting world in this capacity,” she said.
For many athletes, the next step after retiring would be to re-enter the sport through coaching, but Li Peng sees her welcome back into the national squad as a bigger responsibility.
Li Peng’s role as a safeguarding officer entails ensuring the welfare of athletes and accredited persons during the Paris Olympics, a responsibility she takes to heart.
“As a coach, you’re mainly going back into your own sport.
“But for me, coming back in such a capacity means I’m taking care of all sports. And not just the athletes, but the officials and all those accredited people as well.
“If anyone were to experience any issues related to safeguarding in Paris, they would report it to me because it happened at the Olympics.
“We will then report it to the IOC safeguarding officer in the games village,” she said.
Li Peng has experience in leading the national team as she was the chef de mission for the Malaysian contingent to the Trinbago Commonwealth Youth Games last year.
Not one to sit back, Li Peng has already ventured further into her newfound passion as she is pursuing a part-time PhD focused on safeguarding in sports.
Her research is supervised by the Canterbury Christ Church University in England, where she found a mentor interested in her unique perspective.
“PhD is like job hunting. Someone needs to accept you, and you’re paying for that job.
Turning mentor: Li Peng with 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games track cycling silver medallist Darwish Putra Mohd Sanusi (right) and bronze medallist Mohd Hafiq Mohd Jafri (left).
“This particular supervisor was interested in my research and that is how I enrolled myself and started my PhD,” she said.
Li Peng’s academic endeavour is part of her broader goal to further enhance her understanding and contribute more profoundly to the field of sports safeguarding.
“Once I am done with the academic puzzle of my PhD in safeguarding sports, then I will have completed everything I need to in the field.
“From there, we will have to see what’s in store for me and where things take me,” she said.
