Source: REUTERS/IVAN ALVARADO
[Saba Sports News] The Malaysian badminton team has
launched the RTG project, also known as Road to Golden Medal, as part of their
preparations for the Paris Olympics. Esteemed Malaysian badminton player Lee
Chong Wei leads this project. However, it has been reported that Malaysia’s No.
1 Lee Zii Jia has declined to participate in the project. Lee Zii Jia is
currently ranked 11th in the men’s singles according to the latest rankings
from the Badminton World Federation. The badminton regulations for the 2024
Paris Olympics state that if a country has two players ranked within the top 16
in the world, they can send two representatives to compete in the individual
events at the Olympics. With enough ranking points, Lee Zii Jia believes he has
the capability to reject the RTG project, as he feels he does not require
additional support from the country. Consequently, Lee Zii Jia has become the
only Malaysian badminton player who opted out of joining the RTG project. In
the editor’s view, declining to participate in the RTG project means not being
part of the national training camp specifically organised for the Olympics.
This allows players to independently plan their training and participate in tournaments
of their choosing, granting them a greater degree of freedom.