Sorry, you’ve got to make Wei for Soniia in Gold Coast

KUALA LUMPUR: The Badminton Association of Malaysia showed that shuttler Goh Jin Wei’s past glory count for nothing by dropping her from the squad for the Commonwealth Games.

Instead, they have finalised the squad by naming Soniia Cheah for the women’s singles challenge in the Games in Gold Coast, Australia, from April 4-15.

The others in the team are Lee Chong Wei, Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong, Vivian Hoo-Chow Mei Kuan, Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie and Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying.

Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) president Datuk Seri Norza Zakaria said Kuala Lumpur SEA Games champion Jin Wei had to step up if she wanted to be considered for major tournaments.

Norza said women’s singles head coach Datuk Tey Seu Bock had proposed Soniia instead of Jin Wei based on the former’s current form.

“Seu Bock informed us about Soniia a few days ago and she has justified the coach’s recommendation of her for the Commonwealth Games by winning the national title,” said Norza after chairing the council meeting at Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM).

“It’s the right decision. Jin Wei may have done well in the past but she has to step up. I see that the rest of the women’s singles players are improving,” said Norza.

“It’s not about injury or her being off-form. Jin Wei just needs to improve and keep up with the pace.

“This is the high-performing centre and everyone has to live up to the expectations and produce results,” he said.

Jin Wei will get a chance to prove herself at the German Open starting on Wednesday in Mulheim and the All-England in Birmingham from March 14-18.

Meanwhile, Norza said BAM had drafted a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in selection and omission of players from the national team to ensure all decisions involving players were done in a fair and just manner.

OTHER DECISIONS

• Approved RM251,000 grant to states for grassroots and RM90,000 for tournament organisation;

• Approved RM12,000 for every state BA as a grant to hire a development coach. Additional RM1,500 per month for purchase of shuttlecocks;

• To reward active states Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Johor with 50% increase in participation quota for the National Under-21 and Under-21 tournaments;

• Subsidy for hosting tournaments has been increased by 25% so that states can run a good badminton show;

• Air-Asia BAM Junior League to kick off from July 16-22 at the state level. The finals will be from Aug 27- Sept 2;

• Appointed Datuk Ng Chin Chai and Mohd Zambri Baharin to attend the Badminton World Federation (BWF) AGM from May 18-19;

• Executed a new SOP on match-fixing;

• Approved a two-week training camp for Thomas-Uber Cup squad before the Finals.