Lee Chong Wei is danger of losing out on international tournaments goes his ahead with his decision to quit Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) over spat with technical director Morten Frost but the world number one still is not ready to be friends with the Dane.
Chong Wei, while maintaining he was mulling to quit the BAM, hit out at Frost over the latter's reaction to an injury that has ruled the shuttler out of the All England Championships 2017. It was reported that the 34-year-old slipped on a mat at the BAM's training academy and had requested Frost to change the carpets. However, the shuttler was irked when there was no action taken.
The three-time Olympic champion also added he has been having issues with Frost and that the Dane should not have enquired about his retirement to coach Hendrawan right after the recent injury. Chong Wei revealed that he was also not happy when the former Danish shuttler had barred juniors from sparring with seniors right from the time of Rio Olympics.
While BAM coaching and training chairman Norza Zakaria and Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin had assured that they will work towards resolving the issue, Chong Wei has said he is not willing to make peace with frost and that he is determined to part ways with BAM.
"I cannot work with Morten, so it's hard for me to stay. If I quit, I will just leave BAM, but I will continue to play. I will discuss the issues, including my plans to leave BAM with Norza soon," Chong Wei said, as quoted by The Malay Mail Online.
"I will discuss the best way to settle the matter for the betterment of the sport. But for me to be friends with Morten again, 'no'.
"If BAM want me to cool down and make peace with Morten, I don't think so. This is not about ego. This is about what he (Morten) has done to me and everybody has their limits."
Meanwhile, a BAM source has revealed to Channel News Asia that the road ahead for Chong Wei will be difficult if he decides to quit the governing body.
""If he quits BAM, he will train at his own expense, perhaps with a sponsor of his own, and can participate in any tournaments that he qualifies for - but he has to register his entry through BAM," the source said, as quoted by the news portal.
