SUBANG JAYA – Malaysia’s chef de mission to the 2024 Paris Olympics, Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin, wants to have a four-eyed meeting with Lee Zii Jia to discuss the shuttler’s decision not to join the Road to Gold (RTG) programme.
Hamidin, who is also Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) deputy president, said he aims to discuss the issue and also advise Zii Jia.
“So, after he rejected (the RTG), I did not have the opportunity to meet him (Zii Jia). I don’t want to persuade him to join, I just want to meet him to talk and if I can shower him with advice, I will do so.
“This is his decision, so all parties can judge. We, representing the National Sports Council and OCM, hope he can perform at the Olympics if he qualifies,” he told a media conference at the OCM Deepavali celebration here today.
On Tuesday, the RTG committee issued a statement to announce Zii Jia’s decision not to be involved in the programme by not signing a letter of commitment and the decision was relayed by the 25-year-old’s team via an online meeting.
At the meeting, Zii Jia, who was represented by his coaches Wong Tat Meng and Liew Daren and manager Lee Zii Yi, explained the reason behind his stance, adding that he no longer required help to realise his medal hopes at the Paris Games.
However, Zii Jia’s team assured they will continue to work closely with all stakeholders ahead of the 2024 Olympics.
MeanwhiLe, Hamidin also announced that he wished to meet all the athletes who have confirmed their spots for Paris.
However, he has yet to set the date or time to meet them.
Malaysia now has four representatives who will compete in the Olympics next year. They are Bertrand Rhodict Lises (diving), Nur Shazrin Latif (sailing), Johnathan Wong (shooting) and Ariana Nur Dania Zairi (recurve archery). – November 17, 2023