We must drop non-performers to improve

I HAVE been an avid follower of the fortunes of Malaysia’s participation in badminton on the global stage since I was a kid – and that, I assure you, dear reader, is a very, very long time ago.

Badminton is about the only Olympic sport that Malaysia has made any headway in for many decades, attaining among the top in world ranking. Our top shuttler until his recent retirement, Datuk Lee Chong Wei, for instance, at the height of his career was ranked world No.1 for more than a year running.

Such a recognition in itself places badminton as the nation’s No.1 sport. In comparison, though football is touted as a premier sport, Malaysia has consistently hit rock-bottom in FIFA ranking.

But the year 2023 has obviously been a period of doom and gloom for Malaysian badminton, marked by the consistency of poor performance by our star players. And with it comes the usual lame excuses by our coaches of putting the blame on the players without admitting their own weaknesses as well.

In international football, for example, if the teams consistently don’t perform, coaches will get the sack.

The latest to be axed is Juergen Klinsmann, the former German striker who was sacked as South Korea coach on Friday following its defeat to Jordan in the semi-finals of the Asian Cup.

The question that should be asked is, why do we retain consistently non-performing players? Why can’t they be dropped to make room to bring on the new start-ups?

Perhaps the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) should consider revamping the coaching team as well.

Badminton aficionados can’t help observing that star or highly rated players from countries like South Korea, Denmark, India, Japan and Chinese Taipei have shown marked improvement on the world circuit while the Malaysians have stagnated and even deteriorated.

Just look at how high India, a rather late bloomer in the sport, has risen to become the reigning Thomas Cup champions which Malaysia has failed to win for 32 years now.

It’s time for BAM to buck up.

AZMAN UJANG

Kuala Lumpur