PETALING JAYA: Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) performance committee chairman Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei is disappointed by accusations that he had abused his position to leave Soh Wooi Yik out of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games squad.
Chong Wei stressed that every decision announced by him was made collectively and that he does not have the authority to drop any player on his own.
The former world No. 1, however, acknowledged that Wooi Yik was not called in for discussions with the coaches over the Asian Games squad.
“I’m the performance committee chairman and I want to be fair to everyone. There have been a lot of comments and some people are angry with me, and I can accept that,” said Chong Wei.
“Whatever decision you make in this position is never easy. Some people have even said, ‘You are not a world champion, but you are handling a world champion.’
“It is not easy to be in this position. Before I joined BAM, I think the president also knew what I wanted to do. Everything I do is for the best for BAM and for the country.
“It is not about me disliking any player. If I did not like Aaron or Wooi Yik, I could simply say I did not want them at the Asian Games, but that is not how it works and I do not have that kind of power.
“We have a committee and we have the coaches. The coaches submit the list of players to me, we discuss it together and then the decision is approved.”
At the Asian Games, Aaron will partner Tee Kai Wun, with former world No. 1 pair Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani also included in the men’s doubles line-up.
Chong Wei, however, considers the issue involving Aaron and Wooi Yik settled after the pair were given the green light to resume their partnership.
He met both players together with national doubles coaching director Rexy Mainaky and men’s doubles head coach Herry Iman Pierngadi, where all the issues surrounding the pair were discussed and resolved amicably.
“I told Wooi Yik and Aaron, ‘It’s okay, we close this chapter now. What do you want? What do you need? What can I help you with?’
“Both of them said they wanted to partner each other again. I spoke to Rexy and we agreed to let them resume their partnership.
“They had been split and tried out with different partners before. But after playing together again at the World Championships, maybe they realised that they still want to go for the 2028 Olympics together,” said Chong Wei.
