KUALA LUMPUR – Olympic qualifications or not, the Malaysian badminton squad should not underestimate the significance of the Asian Games, said badminton icon Datuk Razif Sidek.
His remarks followed the men’s team’s disappointing performance in the Round of 16 last night.
Speaking to Scoop, Razif stressed that even though the event does not offer Olympic ranking points, the team should strive to deliver their utmost for the honour of the country.
“When we represent our country, there should always be a patriotic spirit. This is my perspective. Regardless of the circumstances, I will give my best for my country.
“It doesn’t matter if there are no Olympic points at stake in the team event because we are playing for our country, and it is our duty to perform at our peak, not only for Malaysia but also for ourselves.
“Then, no one can question your commitment,” he said.
Razif, who played a pivotal role in securing the silver for the national contingent at the 1990 Asian Games in Beijing, urged the current team to uphold Malaysia’s sporting legacy and national pride.
Joining him in that historic team were his brothers, Datuk Seri Jalani and Datuk Rashid Sidek, along with Datuk Cheah Soon Kit, Datuk Foo Kok Keong, Kwan Yoke Meng, and Soo Beng Kiang.
Last night, the unseeded Malaysian team narrowly missed advancing to the quarter-finals, suffering a 1-3 defeat to South Korea.
Only men’s doubles pair, Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik secured a point by defeating reigning world champions Seo Seung Jae-Kang Min Hyuk, while men’s singles players Lee Zii Jia and Ng Tze Yong faced setbacks against lower-ranked opponents.
In the fourth match with the second men’s doubles pair, Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi struggled to turn the tide in Malaysia’s favour.
“Our team comprises strong players in terms of international ranking,” Razif added.
“They have competed in numerous World Tour tournaments. Unfortunately, they didn’t perform well last night… it was as if they were different players.
“I can’t pinpoint the exact issues, perhaps they underestimated the competition.”
Razif added that every player experiences pressure but emphasised the significance of the first men’s singles match in a team event.
He refrained from assigning blame and instead called for collective improvement in individual events.
“It’s also a very sad story that they lost in the men’s singles matches. If they could win at least one, it would have opened an opportunity for Malaysia.
“We wouldn’t want to demoralise the players’ spirit, it wouldn’t be right.
“So what I could only hope for is that they perform better during individual events.
“Let’s not play the blame game on the managers, the coaches or the players because everyone has a role to play,” he added.
Malaysia’s next quest in the badminton category are the individual events that are scheduled to kick off on Monday. – September 29, 2023