KUALA LUMPUR – As the Paris Olympic Games draw near with less than a year before the opening ceremony, speculations are rife regarding the departure of men’s singles badminton coach Hendrawan from Akademi Badminton Malaysia (ABM).
The 51-year-old’s decision to end his contract, initially set to conclude after the 2024 Paris Games, is attributed to “work stress” – marking an unexpectedly early exit.
Should these speculations hold water, Hendrawan would become the fourth coach to leave the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) this year, following Wong Choong Hann in June, Datuk Misbun Sidek in July, and Lee Meng Yean just last Friday.
Amid recent shifts in the national body’s coaching structure, Hendrawan appears to face challenges adapting to the new situation, perceived as stressful by insiders.
“The Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) has attempted to lure him back multiple times, but Hendrawan consistently declined, awaiting the conclusion of the Paris Olympics.
“However, given the current circumstances, his early resignation in the next few months would not be surprising,” a source within BAM disclosed.
Hendrawan’s potential departure poses a significant setback for the national squad, particularly impacting the world’s 14th-ranked shuttler, Ng Tze Yong, who is actively working towards qualification for the 2024 Olympics.
Meanwhile, another BAM source added that the seasoned coach Datuk Tey Seu Bock might step in to guide Tze Yong if Hendrawan indeed departs.
Currently, Seu Bock primarily mentors young players like Justin Hoh, while Hendrawan has been focusing on Tze Yong.
Hendrawan, who joined BAM in July 2009, has played a pivotal role, notably aiding Datuk Lee Chong Wei’s comeback from an eight-month doping suspension in May 2015.
Under Hendrawan’s guidance, Chong Wei secured his third silver medal at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and reclaimed the world’s top ranking in June 2016 within a remarkable 13-month period after starting anew.
Despite offers from PBSI in 2019 and expressing his desire to return to Indonesia at the end of last year, Hendrawan insisted on waiting until after the Olympic Games, scheduled from July 26 to August 11 next year. – November 26, 2023