Kuala Lumpur – Malaysia’s newly appointed Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) President, Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz, has declared that winning the country’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in badminton will be the ultimate mission under his leadership.
Tengku Zafrul, who recently took over the helm of BAM, emphasized that the association will implement a more structured and aggressive roadmap to elevate Malaysian badminton to new heights. “Our players have the talent, and we’ve come close before. Now, it’s time to turn near-misses into gold,” he said in his first official press conference.
Focus on Los Angeles 2028 & Beyond
Tengku Zafrul acknowledged that Malaysia’s best chances may come in Los Angeles 2028. However, he assured that BAM will leave no stone unturned in preparing athletes for both Games.
Key strategies include:
- Enhanced sports science & coaching support
- Stronger mental conditioning programs
- Targeted international training stints
- Better incentives for players and coaches
Pressure on Lee Zii Jia & Other Stars
With Malaysia’s top men’s singles player, Lee Zii Jia, still chasing his peak form, and doubles pairs like Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik (2022 World Champions) yet to secure an Olympic podium, Tengku Zafrul’s leadership will be closely watched.
“We believe in our athletes, but we must also ensure they have the best ecosystem to succeed,” he added.
Fans & Analysts React
Badminton enthusiasts have welcomed the bold vision but remain cautious, given Malaysia’s history of Olympic near-misses. Sports analyst Joel Tan commented, “Setting gold as the target is good, but execution will be everything.”
As BAM prepares to unveil its full Road to Gold plan next month, all eyes will be on whether Malaysia can finally break its Olympic jinx.
