Chong Ming: Pearly-Thinaah will be better off with BAM
Ready to wear: Chan Chong Ming (right) posing with Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh and Daikin Malaysia managing director Lawrence Song.
PETALING JAYA: The future of national women's doubles pair Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah with the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) remains up in the air, but former coach Chan Chong Ming has urged the duo to think twice before parting ways with the national body.
Chong Ming, a former world No. 1 in the men's doubles, served as the head coach of the women's doubles squad in 2020 and was instrumental in guiding Pearly-Thinaah to their breakthrough title at the 2021 Swiss Open, their first on the BWF World Tour.
He feels the pair should not make a hasty decision to turn professional, as they could face significant challenges on their own particularly in terms of access to the sports science support system currently available at the Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM) in Bukit Kiara.
Chong Ming pointed out that a lack of specialised expertise in sports science is one of the biggest hurdles for independent players, especially with Pearly's long history of injuries.
'As coaches, we may have the technical and tactical knowledge of the game, but when it comes to strength and conditioning, our expertise is still limited,' said Chong Ming after the closing ceremony of the Daikin Badminton Championship in Kota Damansara yesterday.
'These areas should be handled by professionals like physiologists. We can manage many things, but for these specialised matters, we need expert support. I believe the Youth and Sports Ministry could also step in to assist.'
For the record, Pearly suffered a left knee injury during the 2022 Japan Open, which forced her to be carried off the court in a wheelchair.
A year later, she also sustained a back injury while competing at the Hangzhou Asian Games in October.
Moreover, at the All-England Championships held last March, Pearly experienced a left ankle injury while attempting a drop shot but continued playing after receiving treatment.
Pearly-Thinaah's contract expired last December, and negotiations are still ongoing.
However, on BAM's side, deputy president Datuk V. Subramaniam has made it clear that they will not budge on the salary package already offered to the world No. 4 pair.
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