KUALA LUMPUR: The national men’s badminton squad should stop dwelling on the country’s past glory and instead mount a strong challenge for the Thomas Cup 2024 title in Chengdu, China, from April 27 to May 5, said Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) president Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria.
He said it is pointless for Malaysia to be called a badminton powerhouse if they can’t end the country’s 32-year title drought in the Thomas Cup or win their first-ever Olympics gold.
“I hope they will strengthen team unity, play with self-belief, feel confident to overcome every team and try to bring back the Thomas Cup.
“It’s not impossible or unattainable; we can do it. If the players possess the patriotic and fighting spirit to defend the nation’s integrity as a badminton power, we can win (the Thomas Cup),” he told reporters after the handing over of the national flag to the Thomas Cup and Uber Cup 2024 squads here today.
Mohamad Norza said Malaysia have assembled one of their strongest teams for the Thomas Cup, as many of the players are vastly experienced and have achieved success at the highest levels.
Besides 2022 doubles world champions Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and 2021 All England champion Lee Zii Jia, Mohamad Norza wants other players to also shine at the world team championships, which Malaysia last won in 1992.
“Like Leong Jun Hao (men’s singles), I still remember him as the Asian Junior Champion 2017. I think it’s about time for him to rise to the occasion as Ng Tze Yong won’t be around to shoulder the responsibility (as second singles),” he added.
Tze Yong has to skip the Thomas Cup because he is still recovering from surgery to treat a back injury sustained during the Badminton Asian Team Championships 2024 in Shah Alam in February.
Mohamad Norza urged all parties to stop the polemics surrounding the national team and come together to fight for success in Chengdu.
Apart from the setback due to Tze Yong’s injury, the Thomas Cup team have also been embroiled in controversy over the unprecedented payment for image rights to professional shuttler Zii Jia to play for the country.
Without disclosing figures, Mohamad Norza said BAM is in a comfortable position to offer attractive incentives to the national players if they win the Thomas Cup.
Zii Jia, who left BAM in January 2022, is sponsored by Victor, a competitor to Yonex, one of the main sponsors of BAM.
The other players selected for the Thomas Cup are Cheam June Wei, Justin Hoh, Goh Sze Fei, Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, Muhammad Haikal Nazri and Choong Hon Jian.
Malaysia, seeded fifth in the Thomas Cup, have been drawn in Group D together with 2016 champions Denmark, Hong Kong and Algeria.
As for the Uber Cup team, Mohamad Norza hoped they would play with full commitment in every match although no high targets have been set for them.
The Uber Cup squad, comprising Goh Jin Wei, K. Letshanaa, Siti Nurshuhaini Azman, Wong Ling Ching, Siti Zulaikha Azmi, Go Pei Kee, Tan Zhing Yi, Ho Le Ee and Chan Wen Tse, face an uphill task in Group B, which includes Thailand, Taiwan and Australia.
