Badminton: Misbun slighted with the manner BAM dismissed him

PETALING JAYA: Datuk Misbun Sidek is unhappy with the way he was terminated as the national junior singles coaching director by the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) with immediate effect.

He was not consulted nor did he agree to it.

Misbun, 63, who was notified by BAM management on Friday that he no longer needs to coach the junior squad beginning this week, has a contract that runs until the end of the year.

The decision came in the wake of Malaysia’s failure to do well in the Asian Junior Championships in Yogjakarta last month. The mixed team reached the quarter-finals while Bryan Goonting-Low Han Chen were the only pair to reach the boys’ doubles last eight.

Misbun, who was the former coach of badminton legend Datuk Lee Chong Wei, was disappointed that the BAM management did not engage with him on making the decision as he was planning to guide the players at the World Junior Championships in Washington from Sept 25-Oct 8.

“I’m very disappointed as the BAM management did not allow me to guide the players at least until the World Junior Championships, instead they have relieved of my duties with immediate effect,” said Misbun at a press conference on Monday.

“My contract is until the end of the year and I have already made preparations for the current group of players to compete and achieve better results in world juniors.”

“When they wanted me for this position (in 2020), I went to the house of the president (Tan Sri Norza Zakaria) to sign the contract, and now, when I’m not needed, they sent another official to inform me of the news. I feel slighted,” said Misbun

“Also, why have they only terminated my contract? Not only singles, but doubles also did not produce good results at the world juniors. I’m disappointed.

The doubles is handled by Rexy Mainaky.

However, Misbun will not dispute BAM’s decision in ending his contract and will move on from the bitter episode.

He will continue coaching locally and focus on programmes with his club, Nusa Mahsuri.

More updates coming up