Datuk Lee Chong Wei. - Filepic/The Star
PETALING JAYA: Datuk Lee Chong Wei has been proposed as team manager for the Road to Gold (RTG) high-performance badminton training programme geared towards the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) will put the former world No 1 and three-time Olympic silver medallist's name to the RTG committee.
"Chong Wei is a legend and was among the greatest players in the world," BAM president Tan Sri Norza Zakaria said on Wednesday (April 12).
"Therefore, he is the best candidate for this pivotal task.
"Chong Wei ticks all the boxes. He has volumes of knowledge, has first-hand experience from his playing days, knows the needs of modern-day players and is widely respected by players."
Chong Wei was delighted at the prospect of guiding the country's gold medal contenders and has vowed to help the shuttlers in their quest for glory next year.
"While I am already part of the RTG Committee, the appointment as team manager ... will mean an increased focus on badminton and a closer hands-on role in terms of assisting them in their preparations," said Chong Wei, who is also a member of the ABM Technical Advisory Panel.
"This is an enormous responsibility, but ... I am ready to take it on and play my part to help Malaysia.
"Winning our first-ever Olympic gold medal has become a national agenda, and it is the hope of every Malaysian.
"Of course, I realise the difficulties of this job, but I am thrilled at ... having been selected."
