PETALING JAYA: Former national women’s singles shuttler Soniia Cheah’s stint with the Kuala Lumpur Badminton Association (KLBA) has come to an early end after she resigned as sports director, effective Wednesday.
Although she did not elaborate on the reasons behind her resignation, Soniia admitted the decision was not an easy one.
She did, however, make it clear that she could no longer continue in the role as certain matters were no longer aligned with her principles.
“My decision to step down as KLBA sports director was made after careful consideration. There were certain matters within the association that, in my view, were not aligned with my principles as an ex-national player.
“As someone who is passionate about the sport, I felt it would be difficult for me to continue in the role while compromising on those principles. This decision is not directed at any individual, but rather reflects my personal stand on issues that I believe need attention.
“I sincerely hope that my resignation will serve as an opportunity for the association to review and address these concerns, so that the focus can remain on the best interests of our young players,” said Soniia when contacted.
Despite stepping down after just four months in the role, Soniia expressed her gratitude to the players she had worked with.
Her final assignment with the Kuala Lumpur squad was at the Affin 100Plus Junior Elite Tour Finals at Stadium Juara in Bukit Kiara last week.
Soniia, 33, was appointed KLBA sports director in February on a one-year contract.
The Kuala Lumpur-born former shuttler was once Malaysia’s women’s singles No. 1 and represented the country at the Tokyo Olympics. She retired in 2022 after a long battle with a recurring Achilles tendon injury.
