PETALING JAYA: Professional men’s singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia has agreed to help Malaysia in the Thomas Cup campaign without making any demands from the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM).
The Paris Olympic Games bronze medallist had come under fire amid claims that he was seeking compensation in the form of image rights fees, as he is now a professional player.
However, in a show of commitment to ending the nation’s 34-year wait for the Thomas Cup title, Zii Jia has agreed to set those matters aside.
The Finals is in Horsens, Denmark, from April 24-May 3.
"It is with great pleasure to announce that Lee Zii Jia has reached an agreement with the Badminton Association of Malaysia to be part of Malaysia’s 2026 Thomas Cup squad.
"Zii Jia has also agreed to waive his image rights fee in order to represent the country at the upcoming Thomas Cup, reflecting his commitment and dedication to Malaysia," Team LZJ said in a statement on Monday (Feb 23).
At the same time, Zii Jia expressed his appreciation to the BAM leadership - president Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Aziz and performance committee Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei for placing their trust in him to assist Malaysia’s Thomas Cup missin.
"He would like to take this opportunity to express his sincere appreciation to BAM for the trust and confidence placed in him to contribute to the nation.
"We hope this marks a new dawn for Zii Jia and BAM, moving forward together in the best interest of Malaysian badminton."
