Kepulangan semula Datuk Lee Chong Wei ke gelanggang kompetitif terus tertangguh ketika Persatuan Badminton Malaysia (BAM) kekal dengan dasar meremajakan skuad kebangsaan apabila tidak menyenaraikan kudrat profesional untuk membentuk skuad Piala Sudirman 2019.
Chong Wei difahamkan tidak memperoleh lampu hijau daripada pakar perubatan untuk membuat penampilan dalam Piala Sudirman.
Malah, BAM tidak menawarkan keyakinan untuk dia kembali ke gelanggang kompetitif dalam masa terdekat.
Situasi itu menyulitkan Chong Wei dalam misi ke Sukan Olimpik Tokyo memandangkan keistimewaan perlindungan ranking daripada Persekutuan Badminton Dunia (BWF) untuk beraksi dalam kejohanan utama dunia, akan luput Ogos ini.
"Chong Wei telah menerima nasihat untuk tidak mengambil bahagian dalam kejohanan antarabangsa kerana kesihatannya harus diutamakan," kata Setiausaha Agung BAM, Datuk Ng Chin Chai.
"Kami akan sentiasa menyokong Chong Wei dan memberikan waktu kepadanya," katanya.
Senarai awal 20 pemain ke Piala Sudirman juga menyaksikan kudrat profesional seperti beregu lelaki, Tan Wee Kiong, dan Goh V Shem serta beregu campuran, Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying, diketepikan meskipun mereka memegang status sebagai pasangan nombor satu Malaysia.
Badan induk badminton negara itu kekal dengan pendekatan memberikan ruang buat pemain muda naungan mereka membuktikan kemampuan.
"Peluang untuk menjuarai Piala Sudirman sangat tipis, jadi kami mengambil langkah untuk memberikan pendedahan kepada barisan muda dalam saingna kali ini," katanya lagi.
Penulis Jemputan
Wed Apr 24 2019
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