BAM Supports Lee Zii Jia Compensation Request for Thomas Cup Appearance

The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) supports Lee Zii Jia request for compensation for wearing the national jersey at the Thomas Cup in Chengdu, China from April 27 to May 5. BAM head of administration Michelle Chai stated that as a professional not under BAM, Zii Jia has the right to seek compensation on commercial grounds. This arrangement is specifically for the Thomas Cup and future agreements will depend on the circumstances.

Chai emphasized the importance of adapting to the current sports industry where athletes need to earn a living. She also highlighted the need to evaluate training methods and systems to ensure they are suitable for modern times. It was confirmed that Zii Jia will be compensated for wearing the national jersey at every match during the Thomas Cup with the compensation related to his image rights as a professional player.

However, former international player Datuk James Selvaraj emphasized that playing for the country should be prioritized over financial matters. He believes that only former world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei is qualified to speak on image rights based on his achievements.