KUALA LUMPUR: The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) said they will maintain their policy of not cutting players’ prize money, despite efforts to sustain their finances.
At present, BAM require around RM54mil a year to cover management and administrative costs, with the largest portion spent on player and coach remuneration, as well as funding for players to compete in international tournaments.
BAM president Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz acknowledged that the association still need an additional 20 per cent in revenue to meet current requirements, with annual operating costs estimated at RM55mil.
To address this, BAM have drawn up several strategies to boost their financial reserves through partnerships with corporate sponsors.
Zafrul also sought to clarify public perception, emphasising that players keep 100 per cent of their tournament winnings, with no deductions or commissions taken by BAM.
“Not a single cent of prize money goes into BAM’s account. It has always belonged entirely to the players,” he said.
“In fact, we provide top-ups as well, so even if they don’t win, they still receive support. To sustain our operations, we need about RM55mil a year. At the moment, we’re in a stable position. With many plans in the pipeline, we will need to boost our revenue. Last year, our income for the first 11 months has already exceeded RM50mil.
“We also owe our thanks to the government for providing around RM5.5mil,” he added.
At the same time, apart from discussions on reviewing local coaches’ salaries, BAM are also considering increasing allowances for their junior players.
“From what I understand from Datuk Kenny, their current allowances range from RM400 to RM600, depending on how senior they are in the junior squad.
“As you know, this may not be sufficient, so we plan to raise it to RM1,000 per month for all current players,” Zafrul said.
