KUALA LUMPUR: Lee Chong Wei's (pic) participation in the World Championships, which begins in Nanjing next week, and even the Indonesia Asian Games from Aug 18 - Sept 2 is in major doubt.
The 35-year-old has been absent from training since last Monday, and is still nowhere to be seen at the Academy Badminton Malaysia on Tuesday (July 24).
Chong Wei was at the top of his game after clinching his 12th Malaysian Open crown and reached the Indonesian Open semi-finals recently.
It's not immediately known if he's injured or ill.
National men's singles head coach Datuk Misbun Sidek admitted it's "unusual" for Chong Wei to be absent for such a long period.
"I rang him yesterday and he told me he wanted to rest longer," said Misbun at the ABM on Tuesday morning.
"That's very unusual. Even when he was injured previously, he would still come to the training centre for rehabilitation.
"This is definitely not good for him with the world meet just one week away. I'm not sure if he's hiding anything from us. But if he insisted on longer break, that's his right."
Asked if Chong Wei could withdraw from the Nanjing meet, Misbun declined to elaborate, except to say: "I'll leave it to him to inform the association (Badminton Association of Malaysia)."
Chong Wei is slated to meet Frenchman Brice Leverdez in the first round in Nanjing.
Chong Wei is still seeking for an elusive world title after three runners-up finishes in 2011, 2013 and 2015.
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