BAM will not select any player, including star Lee Zii Jia, for the Thomas Cup unless they are fully fit, prioritising team strength over individual reputation.
THE Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) has sent a clear message that fitness remains the priority for the upcoming Thomas Cup 2026, asserting that the national squad will not include any player who is not 100% fit including Paris Olympic bronze medallist Lee Zii Jia.
BAM Performance Committee chairman Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei emphasised that while Zii Jia is a vital asset to the team’s strength, the association will not risk taking an injured player to the prestigious tournament in Denmark.
He shared if the injury persists, the team is prepared to field a “fresh” and fully fit player to ensure Malaysia remains competitive throughout the grueling team championship.
“We will not bring a player who is not in 100% condition to the Thomas Cup because this Thomas Cup is very important, same in football World Cup, this is badminton World Cup.
“We will bring one fresh player to the Thomas Cup, but coach Kenneth will continue to update Daren on Zii Jia’s progress because it’s hard to say anything right now as we don’t know Zii Jia’s condition,” he told reporters today.
He noted that national singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen is currently monitoring the situation and is in communication with Zii Jia’s coach, Liew Daren to receive the latest updates on the shuttler’s reported ankle injury.
He shared that the deadline for the submission of the final squad list is next Saturday (April 11), leaving the coaching staff with time to evaluate whether the former All England champion can regain full fitness.
“Before this Zii Jia didn’t come for training because of an injury and the latest information I know is (he said) Zii Jia will come to ABM tomorrow, but it’s not confirmed yet. So we don’t know his condition yet,” he said.
Despite the uncertainty, Chong Wei expressed satisfaction with the progress of other singles players including Leong Jun Hao and Justin Hoh whom he described as being in good condition and training well.
Chong Wei concluded by wishing Zii Jia a speedy recovery, noting that a strong performance at the Thomas Cup would be a significant boost for both the national team and the player’s own individual comeback.
Thomas and Uber Cup 2026 will be held at Horsens, Denmark from April 24 to May 3.