'Own goal' by the BAM

THE Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) seem to have “scored an own goal” by booking the return flights for the majority of their players when the World Championships hadn’t even ended?

Liew Daren, Chong Wei Feng, Hoon Thien How-Tan Wee Kiong, Lim Khim Wah-Goh V Shem, Tee Jing Yi, Vivian Hoo-Woon Khe Wei, Goh Liu Ying-Lim Yin Loo, Amelia Anscelly-Soong Fie Cho, Chan Peng Soon, Ong Jian Guo and Tan Aik Quan-Lai Pei Jing were sent home yesterday after they all failed to get into the quarter-finals of their respective events.

Does that mean BAM never had any faith or confidence in their own players?

How can BAM expect the players to set lofty targets when the national body themselves don’t believe in them?

How do you think the players would feel, knowing that BAM had booked their return flights well in advance?

Debutant Chong Wei Feng, for one, was sad.

On Thursday, he gave an inspiring performance against four-time world champion Lin Dan of China before losing 20-22, 10-21 in the third round.

“BAM booked our return flights even before we came here. I was only expected to come this far (third round), although I did set myself a quarter-final target. It’s sad to be going back home though ... I wish I could stay back and watch Lee Chong Wei in action,” said Wei Feng, before heading for the airport to fly home.

While some might argue that BAM could save money by booking the return flights much earlier, couldn’t they just wait till the players had completed their matches before doing it?

After all, that’s why the team manager and support staff are there for – to ensure that the logistics and players’ welfare are taken care of.

Now, there’ll be more Malaysian badminton officials in Guangzhou supporting Lee Chong Wei and Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong – the only ones to have made the quarter-finals.

Does that make sense?