KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 30 — Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) secretary-general Datuk Kenny Goh feels the Badminton World Federation (BWF) should review the model for hosting the Thomas and Uber Cup Finals.
An internal discussion is needed among the world body’s council members on the hosting rights for the men’s and women’s world team championships.
Asked whether BAM is interested in bidding for the 2026 Thomas and Uber Cup Finals, he said the national badminton governing body had no intention to submit a bid at this moment after the BWF extended the application deadline to host the Thomas and Uber Cup Finals until February 1.
“Before I comment on whether Malaysia should bid, I think BWF probably need to relook and review the model for hosting.
“I think it is a bit discouraging why until now still no body bid and BWF had to extend the deadline,” said Goh, a BWF Council member, to the press.
The previous edition was held in Nonthaburi, Thailand, in May last year, while the next edition is scheduled from April 28 to May 5, 2024, in Chengdu, China.
The last time Malaysia hosted the Thomas and Uber Cup was in 2010 at Kuala Lumpur.
Meanwhile, Goh said the preparations for the 2024 season-opening Malaysia Open, scheduled from January 9 to January 14 at the Axiata Arena, are going well.
“We will start our onsite preparations by next week. The ticket sales are encouraging; as of Friday, most of the semi-finals and finals tickets were sold,” he said.
On allowing foreign shuttlers to train together with the national players at the Akademi Badminton Malaysia (ABM) in Bukit Kiara as a warm-up to the Malaysia Open, Goh said he will discuss the matter with BAM’s coaching director, Rexy Mainaky, to avoid overcrowding at the national training centre.
— Bernama
