National mixed double shuttlers Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei.
KUALA LUMPUR: The future of Malaysia’s top mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei hangs in the balance as the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) are set to discuss their partnership in a committee meeting on Monday (March 24).
Speculation about their possible split has intensified following reports that Tang Jie-Ee Wei have suddenly withdrawn from the Asian Championships in Ningbo, China, from April 8-13.
BAM acting president Datuk V. Subramaniam, who also chairs the Performance Task Force committee, acknowledged that the duo were facing internal issues.
However, he stressed that any decision on their future would only be made after a thorough review of the coaching team’s report.
The meeting will also address Malaysia’s disappointing outing at the All England, which has been described as one of Malaysia’s worst performances in the prestigious tournament’s history.
“Yes, there will be three committee meetings held tomorrow (today). One of the key matters to be discussed is the post-mortem on the All England failure and other European tournaments.
“We don’t have the details yet as we are still waiting for the coaching team’s report, so I can’t comment further at this stage. Only after the report is presented we can make any decisions.
"I think everyone is aware that there are some issues, and right now, the focus should be on finding the best way to resolve them," said Subramaniam when contacted.
Tang Jie-Ee Wei first partnered as juniors, winning a bronze medal at the World Junior Championships in Bilbao, Spain, in 2016.
They reunited in November 2022 and made remarkable progress in a short period, climbing to a career-high world No. 4 ranking and even securing their spot at the Paris Olympics.
However, cracks have begun to show in their partnership, with rising tension between them becoming more evident on court. This was particularly noticeable during their early exits at the Orleans Masters and All-England.
Despite the recent setbacks, Subramaniam remains optimistic that their internal issues can be resolved amicably.
“Personally, I believe conflicts like these are normal. Just like in a family, problems will arise, but there is always a solution," he added.
