KUALA LUMPUR — Former Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) high-performance director Datuk James Selvaraj has criticised the national badminton body’s controversial proposal to impose up to RM500,000 in compensation on players who terminate their contracts prematurely, warning it could derail young shuttlers’ careers.
James’s comments come after BAM announced that players leaving the national setup before their contracts expire may face financial penalties ranging from RM300,000 to RM500,000.
BAM president Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz said the move is necessary to protect the millions invested in training national athletes.
Speaking to Scoop, James described the proposal as drastic and potentially unfair, particularly for younger players who may not have the financial means to meet such demands.
“All the money that BAM has invested in a player, from coaching to training and development, suddenly becomes a figure of RM500,000 to recover. But for the players, this is not just a number; it is a huge burden they may never be able to repay,” James said.
He warned that requiring repayment of such large sums could effectively end a player’s career.
“If a young shuttler is asked to pay RM500,000, how can they continue competing? Most of these players don’t even have RM100,000. BAM must ask itself: is this realistic, and is it fair?” he said.
James also questioned the blanket application of the penalty across all categories of players.
“You have the elite squad, the backup squad, and the junior players. Applying the same figure across the board doesn’t make sense. These athletes are at very different stages in their careers, with very different financial realities,” he said.
He referenced high-profile cases of former BAM shuttlers such as Lee Zii Jia and Goh Jin Wei, who left BAM to become independent shuttlers, suggesting the policy could discourage young talents from pursuing international competition.
“Some players have already moved on because they were seeking better opportunities elsewhere. Now, the young players left behind could be unfairly penalised. Is this the right approach? Is it fair to them?” James said.
He further cautioned that rigid enforcement of such penalties could backfire on BAM’s own development programme.
“If players feel trapped or financially burdened, their motivation may suffer, and their careers could be destroyed before they even have a chance to shine. The association needs to protect its investment, but it also has a duty to support its athletes’ futures,” he added. – April 1, 2026