KUALA LUMPUR: Men’s doubles pair Goh Sze Fei-Nur IzzuDdin have yet to sign a contract to join the Road to Gold (RTG) programme, despite being briefed on the support and assistance they would receive.
Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh, who met the world No. 2 pair on Tuesday, clarified that the discussion was purely informational and that no formal agreement had been made.
"Sze Fei and IzzuDdin were only given an explanation about the programme. They have not signed any contract or set any conditions.
"They were busy competing before this, so I had not been able to meet them earlier. Now that they are Malaysia’s No. 1 men’s pair, we wanted to provide them with more details about RTG.
"Unlike other shuttlers, they were not fully aware of how the programme works. They also shared the challenges they faced as independent players after leaving the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM)," said Hannah.
Sze Fei-Izzuddin had an outstanding 2024 season, winning the Japan Open (Super 750), China Open (Super 1000), and Arctic Open (Super 500). They also finished as runners-up at the BWF World Tour Finals.
Their consistent performances lifted them to world No. 2, making them Malaysia’s top men’s doubles pair.
"Talks will continue, and in March, I will announce the new committee. The RTG secretariat are currently compiling a list of athletes ranked in the world’s top 10 who will receive support in preparation for the Olympics," Hannah added.
