PETALING JAYA: Is men’s singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia truly getting better, or has he actually been fine all along?
After nearly two weeks of speculation among badminton fans around the world about the former Asian champion’s mental health condition, Zii Jia made a surprise public appearance at the Victor brand conference and new product launch in China on Sunday.
Fans were concerned after he posted cryptic sketches of a series of disturbing images on his social media account.
In China, he was all smiles as Zii Jia was one of the featured faces of the badminton brand, modelling the new collection for the 2026 season on a runway.
Other notable appearances at the event included 2024 Paris Olympic gold medallists Zheng Siwei-Huang Yaqiong, who have both retired, as well as former men’s doubles player Li Junhui, who was reunited with his old partner Liu Yuchen.
Also present was Indonesia’s men’s singles player Jonatan Christie.
Following the event, he didn’t just attend a fan meet-and-greet session but also took part in a friendly exhibition match, where he even served as the umpire.
However, concerns remain over his fitness.
He has been unable to compete in any tournaments for more than three months due to an ankle injury sustained in December last year.
Zii Jia, who had skipped the back-to-back Japan and China Opens, has qualified for the World Championships in Paris next month.
