PETALING JAYA: The brickbats can come like hard smashes for Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei in his position as Badminton Association of Malaysia’s (BAM) performance committee chairman, but his service to the sport remains sincere and committed.
And after a year into his role, the former world No. 1 still feels happy and grateful to be back at his second home.
For the three-time Olympic silver medallist, who retired in 2019, the opportunity to contribute again is reward enough.
“I’m quite happy because after retiring, I wasn’t involved in any sporting role. Coming back to BAM feels like returning to my old home,” said Chong Wei.
“Previously, I only focused on being an athlete. Now I’ve been able to learn a lot about the other side of things.
“I consider myself lucky because I have a lot of good people around me who guide me.”
Since taking on the position in October last year, Chong Wei has discovered that guiding the national team from outside the court brings a different set of challenges.
His illustrious playing career only serves to compound the expectation that success should follow him into administration too.
Yet, amid the scrutiny, the national legend is clear about what brought him back.
“Some people say, ‘Maybe he gets a big salary and is just enjoying himself there.’ Seriously, I don’t receive a single cent.
“I don’t need people to praise me. What matters is that I serve the national team and my country. I just want to do what I can and help wherever I can.”
There have been encouraging developments during his first year, in particular the last month, where the national doubles department enjoyed a fruitful October.
Aaron Tai-Yap Roy King won the Arctic Open, Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah captured the Denmark Open title and Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun lifted the French Open crown. Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik were also runners-up in Denmark.
These results offer encouragement, although Chong Wei knows lasting improvements require patience.
“If you want to make changes, you need to do so gradually. You cannot change so many things in just one year.”
Having experienced the demands of elite sport himself, Chong Wei also hopes his assessments of players are understood as part of helping them improve.
“If a player does something wrong, we have to say it is wrong. If they do something right, then it is right.
“The better they perform, the happier I am.
“If I couldn’t achieve something myself, but the athletes can, that’s good, right?”
He hopes supporters will show similar understanding, particularly when emotions spill over on social media.
“We should give our athletes more support because we have to accept that they’re human.
“I’m not saying you cannot comment. You can be angry, but sometimes you shouldn’t go overboard.
“Even if they (the players) stay off social media, they will still hear what people are saying through family and friends. We need to give our athletes more support because they are human too.”
For Chong Wei, the learning continues, but so does his commitment to the place that shaped his career.
“I don’t need everyone to like me. I do my best. God will know. That’s my way.”
Looking ahead, BAM plan to give younger shuttlers more opportunities through a proposed national squad reshuffle, to be tabled next month, as they build towards the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
