KUALA LUMPUR – The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) has been left surprised after national men’s doubles shuttler Soh Wooi Yik described himself as a “pro badminton player” on Instagram, prompting speculation about a possible departure from the national body.
BAM deputy president V. Subramaniam said the association had no prior knowledge of the update.
“Honestly, I have never heard anything about it. His contract is up to 2028, and everything is going on normally. We have not been informed of any issues,” he said when contacted.
The profile change by the 2022 world champion has triggered discussion within the badminton fraternity over whether Wooi Yik could be considering a move to compete independently outside BAM.
Subramaniam stressed that any contractual concerns involving national players would first be handled by BAM’s performance committee chairman Lee Chong Wei.
“If there is any issue or a breach of his (Wooi Yik) existing contract, Chong Wei will bring it up to management. That’s the proper process,” he said.
“It’s only fair that if there is anything, it should be addressed by the performance committee chairman. We were surprised by this as well, and so far, there’s nothing that requires action.”
He added that BAM has not received any communication from Wooi Yik indicating an intention to leave.
“I hope there is nothing, but if there is, it will be resolved properly, and management will be informed,” Subramaniam said.
Wooi Yik and his partner Aaron Chia made history by clinching Malaysia’s first men’s doubles title at the 2022 BWF World Championships. The duo also earned consecutive Olympic bronze medals at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Games.
They are now preparing to defend their title at the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, China, from April 7 to 12.
The situation has drawn close attention from fans, with uncertainty lingering over whether Wooi Yik will see out his contract with BAM until 2028 or pursue a new path as an independent professional.
The most recent high-profile exit from the national set-up involved the men’s doubles pair of Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, who left the squad in October 2024. – March 25, 2026