KUALA LUMPUR — No final decision has been made on the contracts of the national badminton coaches despite a nearly three-hour meeting at Akademi Badminton Malaysia (ABM) in Bukit Kiara today.
The coaches’ contracts are set to expire at the end of the year.
Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) acting president Datuk V. Subramaniam revealed that various key issues were discussed, with the renewal of the coaching staff contracts being a primary topic.
While no specific names were mentioned, six coaches are currently under contract review.
According to Subramaniam, BAM is carefully considering various factors before reaching a decision.
He also acknowledged the possibility that other countries may be interested in the coaches, adding that contract extensions depend on BAM’s offer.
“This isn’t a restructure; it’s just a routine meeting because when the time comes (contracts expire), we need to review them.
“Some want to renew, and some are waiting for our decision, so everything is still under discussion. Only a few of the coaches, around five or six, are reaching the end of their contracts.
“We haven’t made any decisions yet. We have our current coaches, and the work continues, so we don’t know yet if we need to add or reduce the number of coaches.
“So, the best approach for BAM right now is to talk less and focus on getting the work done,” said Subramaniam.
While the doubles coaching team has produced promising results, concerns remain over the national singles squad.
Not only has there been a lack of significant achievements this year, but also a lack of depth in both the men’s and women’s singles divisions.
The singles team is led by Hendrawan, Datuk Tey Seu Bock, James Chua, and K. Yogenthiran. BAM is expected to announce its decision regarding the coaches’ contracts by the end of the year.
The meeting was also attended by ABM administration director Michelle Chai and coaching director Rexy Mainaky. — September 24, 2024