Former national number one Datuk Lee Chong Wei has denied any knowledge of the alleged match-fixing effort a Malaysian official during the 2006 Doha Asian Games.
In a shocking revelation, Indonesian badminton legend Taufik Hidayat had claimed that a Malaysian badminton official had offered him cash to throw the semi-final match against Chong Wei. While the alleged match-fixing effort took place in 2006, it does not in any way reduce the severity of the action by a Malaysian official , if is true.
Chong Wei has said that he is trying to reach Taufik to get to the bottom of the issue and identify the said official.
Chong Wei is reported to have been inundated with phone calls, after Go Sports broke the story here earlier today, and is said to have pondered what the effect would be, had he actually beaten Taufik in the said match.
For the record Taufik defeated Chong Wei 21-16, 21-18 in the semi-finals and China’s Lin Dan 21-15, 22-20 in the final to clinch the Asian Games gold medal.
Chong Wei’s denial apart, the badminton authorities including the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM), the All-Indonesia Badminton Association (PBSI) and the Badminton World Federation (BWF) should still investigate and get to the bottom of the matter.
For the BAM, it is also crucial that they look at it seriously as it also further affects the integrity of the country as a badminton powerhouse.
It is also imperative that the names of Chong Wei and the officials, who had accompanied the team to Doha including the likes of Francis Siow, Datuk Misbun Sidek and Yap Kim Hock be cleared and absolved of any wrongdoing, if no such incident ever took place.
To be fair, at this point time it is only a verbal allegation from Taufik which does not have much legal merit. But if left unanswered, it would create question marks on the entire issue and the role of all parties involved.
In recent years, BAM players as well as other Malaysians have been linked to match-fixing in badminton and this allegation does not augur well for Malaysia.
Two national badminton players – former World Junior champion Zulfadli Zukifli and Tan Chun Seang – are already serving long suspension on similar charges.
Zulfadli Zulkiffli was found guilty by the BWF in 2018 and barred from all badminton-related activities for 20 years over match fixing violations while Chun Seang was banned for 15 years.
Earlier this year, another Malaysian Lim Ze Young has been banned from all badminton-related activity for life by the BWF for his role in match fixing. Ze Young is a representative of an equipment brand that sponsors international badminton players and has apparently been under the BWF Integrity Unit investigation for a number of years.
On the assumption that such allegations turns out to be true, than the question of whether the misdeed was done on behalf of bookies or was it at the behest of certain officials, needs to be answered quickly.
Several former internationals when contacted, admitted that badminton matches both locally and internationally attracts the bookies.
“It is not only who wins, but also who would get the first point, or the first to reach five points or 11-points, or how many games, they bet on everything,” said one former international.
Another added that it was on open secret that there were quite a number of players (not specifically Malaysians), who have been working in cohorts with these bookies.
“The only problem is that it is always difficult to prove these allegations and it is better to keep our mouths shut,” he said.
A former coach, said there was even a “players syndicate” previously, comprising of players from different countries involved in such activities.
“And some are protected by the officials themselves or the politicians. It is difficult to eradicate it without stakeholders properly educating the players from the start of their careers,” he said.
No matter, how this turns out, the innocent parties must be absolved and the guilty punished.
And if Taufik is serious in wanting to get a resolution on the matter after all these years, he must also be ready to assist the BWF, BAM and the PBSI with any investigations.
“There would be no smoke without fire. There is no reason for Taufik to bring this up after 15 years. I am wondering why he came forward now when it is even more difficult to prove. Whomever he implicates can just say it was just a joke and there is nothing prove it wrong,” said one former BAM official.
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