Despite the President of the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) claiming national shuttler, Lee Zee Jia, to be unable to handle the pressure, Malaysians have turned against the President to blame it on his failures.

The world number seven on January 11 had tendered in his resignation and although there were numerous meetings to hold on to him, he was determined to achieve success on his own.

Norza said, “We see Zii Jia as an asset and we tried to persuade him (to stay) because we have groomed him since he was 13.”

He added, “However, he told us that he’s no Lee Chong Wei and he cannot cope with the pressure.”

Malaysians are blaming the President over the failure of keeping a national talent and claiming he was pressured was a cheap shot.

Ivan Tang asked, “You would expect us to believe you that he can’t take the pressure? Is there something you don’t want us to know?”

He felt ashamed as qualified and performing athletes are either retiring or leaving the country due to the sport’s governing body’s incompetency.

Edward Chua believes if he was overwhelmed, it was due to BAM forcing him to play in tournaments in quick succession.

“People will break. He is not an athlete who takes drugs to continue playing. If you want a player to play as many matches as you want, get a steroid-induced player,” he said.

With Lee Zee Jia leaving BAM, he faces the risk of being banned in tournaments as players who quit the national team ‘prematurely’, before the age of 29, face sanctions.

-THE MALAYSIA VOICE