KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s top men’s doubles shuttler Aaron Chia has denied demanding a yearly salary of RM2 million from the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM).
Aaron’s response comes after Scoop reported that several prominent national shuttlers had sought annual salaries as high as RM2 million.
“I guess it’s just a rumour? Obviously, it’s not (Soh) Wooi Yik and I, as our deal with BAM has already been signed.
“I don’t know who made those demands,” he told reporters today.
Meanwhile, in August, world number six and two-time Olympic bronze medallists Aaron and Wooi Yik extended their contracts with BAM until the next Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
However, the contract details were not disclosed.
Currently, BAM offers a monthly salary scheme ranging from RM2,000 to RM20,000, excluding other incentives such as quarterly rankings and tournament bonuses of up to RM120,000, as well as earnings from tournament winnings.
It is understood that BAM does not take a percentage cut from players’ winnings, unlike certain associations like the China Badminton Association (CBA), which reportedly takes a 60% cut of their players’ tournament earnings.
At the same time, BAM also allows players to seek private sponsorships, provided there is no conflict of interest.
On Sunday, a source within the badminton fraternity told Scoop that several top players had demanded annual salaries of up to RM2 million. This raised concerns about whether such a move would be sustainable for the association in the long term.
It is understood that both the government and sponsors have taken note of the matter, with some reportedly hesitant to support the idea.
Recently, BAM revealed its annual operating costs of RM50 million, funded largely by major sponsors, including Petronas, Yonex, Perodua, the Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS), Affin Bank, and 100Plus.
If the RM2 million salary demands are met, the national shuttlers would become Malaysia’s highest-earning athletes, surpassing even footballers from top teams like Johor Darul Ta’zim and Selangor. – October 29, 2024