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<h2>Former national shuttler Datuk Lee Chong Wei says the culture of celebrating mediocrity has led to the decline in Malaysian sports</h2>
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<p>The three-time Olympic silver medallist said that Malaysia should model itself like China, South Korea, or Japan in terms of how these countries manage their sports, <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://www.nst.com.my/sports/badminton/2024/01/1002443/chong-wei-ready-become-public-enemy-stop-rot">reported</a> the New Straits Times.</p>
<p>&#8220;If we run things like how they do in China, South Korea, or even Japan, we won&#8217;t be seeing this decline in our sports. Culturally, we have enabled this. We celebrate mediocrity,&#8221; Chong Wei was quoted as saying.</p>
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<h2>The former World No.1 was responding to those who criticised him for the dressing-down he gave to national shuttlers following their dismal performances at the recently concluded PETRONAS Malaysia Open 2024</h2>
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<p><p>The 12-time Malaysia Open champion had <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://says.com/my/sports/lee-chong-wei-slams-badminton-players-for-going-on-holiday-before-the-2024-malaysia-open">questioned</a> the decision of several players to go on vacation during the Christmas period despite the tournament kicking off on 9 January.</p>
<p>&#8220;For the love of the game and the love of my country, I will continue speaking my mind and questioning the standard of Malaysian badminton,&#8221; he said while responding to his critics.</p>
<p>According to Chong Wei, while work-life balance is important, athletes have a short window to excel and must prioritise sacrifices and dedication over comfort and convenience.</p>
<p>&#8220;When I questioned our national players holidaying so close to the Malaysia Open, I didn&#8217;t say they shouldn&#8217;t go on holiday at all. I questioned their timing. Everyone can be an athlete, but to be the best, you have to make the tough choices and sacrifice,&#8221; the 41-year-old said, adding he will not stop speaking his mind even if it turns him from a national hero to a public enemy.﻿</p>
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<p>He said the players&#8217;  Christmas vacations abroad prior to the tournament contributed to the team&#8217;s lacklustre performance.</p>
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LCW Says Malaysian Sports In Decline Because "We Celebrate Mediocrity"

LCW Says Malaysian Sports In Decline Because “We Celebrate Mediocrity”

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<p><p><i>This Spotlight is sponsored by PETRONAS.</i></p>
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<h2>In the lead up to the PETRONAS Malaysia Open 2024 — taking place from 9 to 14 January — eight lucky Malaysians got the experience of a lifetime, as they matched up against some of our country&#8217;s top talents!</h2>
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<p>The pre-event programme, called the #GemilangkanLagi Badminton Showdown, took place on 6 January at Arena Sukan Kuala Lumpur.</p>
<p>Eight lucky winners were picked for this friendly badminton match, which also involved Hot FM and Eight FM announcers, as well as our top junior national shuttlers — Aaron Tai and Kang Khai Xing — who are ranked number one and two in the Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Junior Ranking.</p>
<p>Organised by PETRONAS and Badminton Association Malaysia (BAM) in collaboration with Hot FM and Eight FM, the event showcased intense competition and sportsmanship through mixed doubles matches.</p>
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<h2>The tournament started off with lucky winners each being paired with a host from Hot FM and Eight FM</h2>
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<p>The radio hosts included Ayu, Fizi Ali, and Aishah from Hot FM, as well as Loh, Ke Qing, Dino, and Cheryl from Eight FM.</p>
<p>After two elimination rounds, the remaining pairs met in the finals. But then, they were in for a challenge as they faced off against Aaron Tai and Kang Khai Xing in the grand final.</p>
<p>What followed was an intense match with powerful smashes and exciting rallies from both sides, woah!</p>
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<h2>Throughout the day, participants and attendees got to enjoy a variety of activities, from performances to lucky draws</h2>
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<p>And everyone got to walk home with cash prizes as well as tickets to the PETRONAS Malaysia Open 2024!</p>
<p>The PETRONAS Malaysia Open 2024 is happening at Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur this week, so don&#8217;t miss out.</p>
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<h2>Wishing all our national players the best at the PETRONAS Malaysia Open 2024! Don&#8217;t forget to show your support by using #GemilangkanLagi on your social media platforms.</p>
<p><em>Satukan suara, julangkan juara kita!</em></h2>
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8 Lucky Winners Got To Play With National Shuttlers Before The PETRONAS Malaysia Open 2024