National badminton player Chong Wei Feng is understandably crestfallen at Badminton Association of Malaysia’s (BAM) decision to drop him from upcoming Jakarta World Championship in August.
Wei Feng qualified for the tournament on merit, but BAM sacrificed him to accommodate the participation of Lee Chong Wei, after the former world number one was not given a wild card for the tournament.
The 27 year-old is visibly disheartened by the news, though he was optimistic after being reassured by BAM that they would back him in his bid to qualify for the Rio Olympics.
“I am a little disappointed because I am the highest ranked player in the country and qualified for the championships on merit. However, BAM President Tan Sri Tengku Mahaleel Tengku Ariff and secretary Ng Chin Chai, assured me that the BAM will support my quest to qualify for the 2016 Olympics,” he told Bernama.
“Maybe I will be given a chance to play more tournaments to earn points and qualify for the Olympics. In June, July and August there are fewer tournaments. Since I will miss the world championships, there is only the Taiwan Open to look forward,” he added.
But the man was also gracious enough to admit that Chong Wei has a better chance of triumphing in Jakarta, which made his exclusion sensible.
“Chong Wei has a higher percentage of winning. Zulfadli is still a junior. This year, it’s quite impossible for me to become a champion and I wish Chong Wei all the best,” he added.
Photo credits: stadiumastro.com
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