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New Straits Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
BAM must not let badminton end up like diving
MALAYSIAN badminton is not in crisis — not yet. With stars like former world cham pions Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, Lee Zii Jia, Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah, Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei and Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai still competing — and often winning — on the BWF World Tour, the sport remains in good hands. At least until the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. In fact, Malaysia may even crown a second world champion in Paris next month. But it would be dangerously naive to believe the current wave of success will last forever. Because this is exactly where diving stood just a few years ago, before it plummeted. There was a time when Malaysian divers were contenders on the world stage. Pandelela Rinong's Olympic bronze in London 2012, multiple World Championship medals, and a string of podiums at the Commonwealth and Asian Games marked a golden era. She was not alone. Cheong Jun Hoong stunned China's elite to win Malaysia's first world title in 2017 in Budapest, a year after winning diving's first Olympic silver (with Pandelela) for Malaysia at the Rio Games. It looked like the country might finally win their first Olympic gold in diving, not in badminton. Nur Dhabitah Sabri, Wendy Ng and Leong Mun Yee helped establish Malaysia as a regional powerhouse. Fast forward to 2025, and the national diving team are competing in the ongoing World Aquatics Championships in Singapore with no real expectations. No buzz, no form and crucially, no medal hopes. The dive has been steep, brutal, and completely avoidable. This scribe, along with others in the sporting fraternity, raised the alarm years ago. Concerns about stagnation, over-reliance on ageing stars, and a lack of succession planning were brushed aside. Malaysia Aquatics failed to heed those warnings. They did not hire top-level coaches after Yang Zhuliang's contract was not renewed in 2017 — a pivotal mistake. Worse, insiders whispered that some divers were calling the shots in the national set-up. When athletes dictate policy, disaster is inevitable. The same names were recycled for major events while juniors sat idle. Grooming the next generation became an afterthought. By the time Malaysia Aquatics began revival initiatives, it was already too late. The system had stopped producing, the decline had begun, and the damage was done. Diving now finds itself gasping for air, clinging to memories of past glories. It is the latest cautionary tale in Malaysian sport, and one badminton must learn from before it's too late. Right now, badminton looks fine on paper. The senior ranks remain competitive. Pearly-Thinaah and Aaron-Wooi Yik will likely be Olympic medal contenders at LA28. Tang Jie-Ee Wei are rising stars. Zii Jia, inconsistent as he is, remains a top draw. And the BA of Malaysia's (BAM) system is still envied in the region. But cracks are starting to show — if you're paying attention. Malaysia failed to win a single medal at the recent Badminton Asia Junior Championships in Indonesia. Once a rich breeding ground for elite players, our juniors are now being outclassed by the likes of India, Japan, Thailand and even Taiwan — nations that once looked up to us. They weren't just beaten — they were outthought, outplayed and outworked. This isn't just about one tournament. It reflects a deeper issue in our development pipeline. Where is the next Zii Jia? The next Aaron-Wooi Yik? If BAM doesn't have those answers now, they may be forced to confront the same hard truths Malaysia Aquatics is struggling with today. This is the time for BAM to act, not to wait. Waiting for the seniors to decline before addressing structural issues is the very mistake that sank diving. The badminton system must evolve fast. It needs to constantly regenerate talent. That means more international exposure for juniors, stronger local competitions, better coaching at the grassroots, and support for clubs nationwide. It also means making hard calls, recognising when older players are blocking progress. Less politics. More planning. Less nostalgia. More foresight. Malaysia's sporting graveyard is filled with once-great disciplines undone by complacency. Field hockey was once among the world's best — now Malaysia are struggling in Asia and not producing top quality players. The Malaysian Hockey Confederation may say it has around 5,000 up-and-coming players nationwide produced through its development initiatives. However, most go "missing"' even before they reach senior ranks or are not up to the mark. Athletics produced legends like Rabuan Pit and Samson Vallabouy. Now they're footnotes. Reminders of what happens when ambition is replaced by comfort. Diving is merely the latest casualty. Pandelela and Dhabitah gave everything to the sport. They carried Malaysian diving for over a decade. But the burden was never meant to be theirs alone. Like Jun Hoong, who retired after Tokyo 2021 when the National Sports Council pulled her funding, they deserved a system that could take over. They didn't get it. Now, diving is stuck in denial, trying to defend the indefensible. Let's not wait for badminton to arrive at the same place. BAM still has time. But the window is narrowing. The rest of the world isn't waiting. This scribe hopes BAM listens. Because Malaysia Aquatics didn't, and it is paying the price. Without a plan, no athlete can carry a sport forever. Badminton doesn't need to dive — but it could, if we aren't careful.
Malaysian Reserve
21-07-2025
- Sport
- Malaysian Reserve
Zii Jia no-show for China Open
KUALA LUMPUR — National professional singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia (picture) has pulled out from the 2025 China Open Badminton Championships. This was posted on the Badminton World Federation (BWF) website, which stated that the 27-year-old will not be competing in the July 22-27 championships to be held at the Changzhou Olympic Sports Centre Xincheng Gymnasium in Changzhou. However, there has been no official statement from Team LZJ regarding his pullout from the Super 1000 tournament. This is the second tournament in the past week that Zii Jia has withdrawn from, having also pulled out from competing in the ongoing Japan Open. Zii Jia injured his ankle during the World Tour Finals last December and made his return in March at the Orleans Masters, where he lost to Ireland's Nhat Nguyen 21-23, 7-21 in the quarter-finals. He then competed in the 2025 All England Championships in Birmingham from March 11-16, where he was knocked out in the first round by Hong Kong's Angus Ng Ka Long, who won 21-19, 16-21, 12-21. The world number eight subsequently withdrew from the 2025 Swiss Open in Basel, Switzerland, held from March 18-23, due to the same ankle injury. — BERNAMA
Malay Mail
21-07-2025
- Sport
- Malay Mail
Zii Jia spotted in China, looks healthy and in good spirits
BEIJING, July 21 — After staying out of the public eye for a while after putting up concerning Instagram posts, national badminton player Lee Zii Jia has reappeared in…China. Lee was spotted on China network CGTN's social media pages alongside other international badminton players. #Badminton global stars unite in Nanjing! Huang Yaqiong, Zheng Siwei, Liu Yuchen, Li Junhui Lee Zii Jia Jonatan Christie A gathering of world champions & fan favorites sharing the moment off-court! @BadmintonTalk #BadmintonMalaysia July 20, 2025 He also was spotted attending the Victor Brand Conference in Nanjing as well as being a service judge (according to CGTN) at a mixed doubles match. Lee has not been active on Instagram recently with his last post dated July 3. The player is currently ranked 27th in the world badminton men's singles rankings and recently pulled out of the Japan Open. He had previously suffered an ankle injury in December of last year and has kept a fairly low profile since. 's first mixed doubles match... against Olympic champ?! → Meanwhile, service judge Just #badminton joy & legendary cameos@BadmintonTalk @ShuttleHard ©Badminton Magazine — CGTN Sports Scene (@CGTNSportsScene) July 20, 2025
The Star
21-07-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Zii Jia appears fine in first public appearance in China
New role: Zii Jia turns up as an umpire during a fun exhibition match as he makes a surprise public appearance at the Victor brand conference and new product launch in China on Sunday. - Pix by Victor PETALING JAYA: Is men's singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia truly getting better, or has he actually been fine all along? After nearly two weeks of speculation among badminton fans around the world about the former Asian champion's condition, Zii Jia made a surprise public appearance at the Victor brand conference and new product launch in China on Sunday. Zii Jia was one of the featured faces of the badminton brand, modelling the new collection for the 2026 season on a runway. Other notable appearances at the event included 2024 Paris Olympic gold medallists Zheng Siwei-Huang Yaqiong, who have both retired, as well as former men's doubles player Li Junhui, who was reunited with his old partner Liu Yuchen. Also present was Indonesia's men's singles player Jonatan Christie. Following the event, he didn't just attend a fan meet-and-greet session but also took part in a friendly exhibition match, where he even served as the umpire. However, concerns remain over his fitness. He has been unable to compete in any tournaments for more than three months due to an ankle injury sustained in December last year. Zii Jia, who had skipped the back-to-back Japan and China Opens, has qualified for the World Championships in Paris next month.
Khaleej Times
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Khaleej Times
How a 20-year-old is leading a French revolution in world badminton
Rising French badminton star Alex Lanier admits he will be under pressure at next month's world championships in front of his home fans, but vowed on Tuesday to "stay in my own zone" away from distractions. The 20-year-old has rocketed to number eight in the world after a breakthrough year that has seen him win the Japan Open and be crowned European champion. He is aiming for more success when the world championships begin in Paris on August 25, at the venue where the Olympic badminton tournament was held last year. Lanier admits he is "not an underdog any more" and will play with a target on his back in Paris. "There is a bit of pressure but I am also taking it as a moment that I can share with family and friends," he said in Tokyo on Tuesday, where he began his Japan Open title defence with a 21-12, 21-14 win over Malaysia's Leong Jun Hao. "I want to get the maximum I can and play the best I can, to share this moment with everyone," he said. "It's also interesting, this kind of condition that there are a lot of people around, a lot of distractions -- I will need to stay in my own zone." Lanier did not play at the 2024 Olympics, but he announced himself on the world stage just a couple of weeks later by winning the Japan Open. He beat China's then world number one Shi Yuqi and Malaysia's Paris Games bronze medallist Lee Zii Jia on the way to lifting his first major senior title. Golden French generation His rise gathered pace when he won the European Championships in April with a victory over fellow Frenchman Toma Junior Popov in the final. Lanier said he had improved "mentally and physically, but also technically" as he targets more Tokyo glory this week. "I think I'm not an underdog any more -- I'm definitely ready to play well and to get this title," he said. "There is definitely more pressure than last year, to be honest, but I think I'm quite good at controlling this kind of thing." French badminton is currently riding high, with Lanier, Toma Junior Popov and Christo Popov all ranked in the men's singles top 20. Lanier says talk of a golden generation is premature but he believes French badminton is "improving in all areas". "Our staff is more professional, there is better structure and the young players are more professional earlier than what we were before," he said. "So I feel that yes we are performing, but also we are showing the young generation in France." French fans gave Olympic badminton a warm welcome at the Paris Games, with large crowds and enthusiastic support at the La Chapelle Arena. Lanier believes "it's going to be huge again" at the world championships, and he is looking forward to experiencing it for himself. "I think the fans enjoyed last year and I think they are expecting the same thing, and that's why they're coming," he said. "They know that it's going to be a fantastic event."
