Persatuan Badminton Malaysia (BAM) menjadikan nostalgia dan prestij sebagai tarikan utama dalam perancangan penganjuran Kejohanan Siri Super Premier Terbuka Malaysia 2017, dengan Stadium Negara sebagai venue.
Stadium Negara dan badminton Malaysia sinonim dengan cerita gemilang bersandarkan kejayaan kali terakhir negara menjulang Piala Thomas pada 1992 di gelanggang itu.
Cadangan BAM untuk melangsungkan saingan Terbuka Malaysia di Stadium Negara berdasarkan situasi gelanggang utama, Stadium Putra dan Stadium Malawati, yang sedang menjalani proses naik taraf.
BAM dan pemilik Stadium Negara dijangka berdepan cabaran besar mentransformasikan venue itu jika serius dengan cadangan ini, memandangkan laman keramat berkenaan semakin dimamah usia.
“Stadium ini agak berusia, tetapi di sinilah sukan badminton Malaysia berjaya melakar sejarah.
"Jika kami berjaya menganjurkan pertandingan ini di Stadium Negara, kami dapat mengembalikan nostalgia negara ini," kata Pengurus Besar BAM, Lawrence Chew.
“Kami sedang berusaha untuk mengemukakan cadangan ini, namun keputusan bukan di tangan saya. Kami berharap ahli lembaga akan memberikan lampu hijau untuk menganjurkannya di Stadium Negara."
Dalam usaha mengekalkan status Terbuka Malaysia sebagai saingan bertaraf perdana, BAM juga berhasrat menambah jumlah habuan keseluruhan asal bagi kalendar 2017 daripada USD600,000 kepada USD1 juta.
Angka itu setaraf dengan saingan Siri Super Premier Terbuka Indonesia pada Jun lepas dan Final Siri Super di Dubai pada Disember tahun lalu.
“Saya akan cuba yang terbaik untuk mengekalkan acara ini sebagai satu Kejohanan Siri Super Premier. Kami akan memberikan wang hadiah sebanyak USD1 juta.
"Sebelum ini, kami hanya memberikan RM600,000 dan penambahan wang hadiah ini amat berbaloi dengan adanya tiga pemenang pingat perak Sukan Olimpik Rio," kata Lawrence lagi.
Ammar Hakim
Mon Oct 10 2016
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