Ismail admits to blunder in naming badminton squad

KUALA LUMPUR: The Youth and Sports Minister has admitted to blundering when naming the squads for the 2012 London Olympic Games — especially for the badminton team — on Thursday.

Just 24 hours after leaving out top women’s singles shuttler Wong Mew Choo from the cast for the Road to London programme, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said yesterday that the 26-year-old injury-prone player was back on the list.

“It was a mistake. She may be injured now. But we hope she will get back on her feet. Her world ranking is still high and she is still considered one of the potentials for the London Games,” said Ismail.

Holding court: Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaacob (left) visiting the badminton hall at Stadium Juara at Bukit Kiara Friday. — KAMARUL ARIFFIN / The Star

He made the U-turn during a press conference after inspecting a new hostel for the shuttlers at the Rakan Muda Complex, which is adjacent to the national training centre in Stadium Juara in Bukit Kiara yesterday.

Mew Choo is ranked 12th in the world, just four rungs ahead of rising star Julia Wong.

If Mew Choo, who is down with knee and elbow injuries, does not get back to action soon, Julia, who is breathing down her neck, is expected to overtake the Malaysian Open runner-up this year.

National Sports Council (NSC) director general Datuk Zolkples Embong, who also confirmed that Mew Choo’s name was not in the initial list, said they did not want to put undue pressure on the shuttler by adding her name in the first place.

Besides Mew Choo, the others in the badminton squad are Lee Chong Wei (world No. 1), Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif-Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari (No. 4), Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong (No. 5) and Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty (who dropped from the top to No. 2 in the latest rankings list on Thursday).

Except for Kien Keat-Boon Heong, the others will be about 30 when the Olympics are held.

To complicate matters, the BAM’s coaching and training committee have yet to meet to finalise their squad although BAM president Datuk Nadzmi Mohd Salleh, who was at yesterday’s press conference, said that a decision had been made.

Questions were also raised on the early announcement of the badminton squad for the London Games.

Ismail defended the move, saying it was not an oversight although most of the shuttlers would have reached their prime by then.

“We are led to believe that these players will be in good condition until the next Games . We did not name any future potential players because there is a big gap in standard between these youngsters and the current top players,” said Ismail.

“But we are not closing the door on them. The government’s focus will also be on the back-up players. And, if at any time, these players show promise, we will include them in the Olympic programme. For now, their inclusion cannot be justified.”

Meanwhile, the badminton players will have to wait for at least two more years for a new centre of excellence in Taman Maluri to be ready.

The centre was given as a reward by the government following badminton’s feat in winning a silver medal through Chong Wei at the Beijing Olympics last August.

“It will take at least two more years for this new excellence centre to be ready,” said Ismail.

“We have decided to house the players at the Rakan Muda Complex near Stadium Juara so that they will be no delay in the preparation of the squad towards the London Games.”

The shuttlers from Bukit Jalil are expected to move to the Rakan Muda Complex when upgrading work is completed in March.