More focus on sports science support ahead of Paris 2024 - BAM
13 Dec 2023 02:16pm
BAM secretary-general Datuk Kenny Goh - FILE PIX
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BAM secretary-general Datuk Kenny Goh said this included enhancing their in-house sports science team by increasing the number of staff to better cater to the team's needs, if necessary.
"I think sports science support is more emphasised now compared to previous preparations (for the Olympic Games). We also discussed in more detail the overall well-being of players, including their emotions, physiology and psychology.
"At the moment, we have not more than 20 (sports science staff) and that is enough for now but, of course, we want more (in the future),” he told reporters when met after the Sports Working Committee Meeting (JKK) with the National Sports Council (NSC) in Bukit Jalil here today.
Meanwhile, Kenny said they will also come out with a strategic and tactical plan to ensure the current crop of shuttles finish as high as they can in the ‘Race to Paris’ ranking to facilitate them getting a good seeding come the draw session before the 2024 Olympic Games begins.
‘Race to Paris’ is a qualifying path for the Paris Olympics. It began in May and will last until next April.
Kenny said they also plan to send players to a training camp in Paris a week before the 2024 Games to aid their adaptation to the environment and early immersion into the competition mood.
On another development, Kenny said he was pleased to hear that BAM president Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria might consider reversing his decision to resign from the post at the end of this month.
Yesterday, it was reported that Mohamad Norza would consult the BAM council on Saturday (Dec 16) before making a decision. This is after Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh, via her social media account, urged Mohamad Norza to reconsider the decision to step down.
Asked who will be the new Akademi Badminton Malaysia (ABM) chief executive officer, Kenny said there were no immediate plans for an appointment as they are quite comfortable with the current set-up, led by director of coaching Rexy Mainaky.
"We are not closing the option (of a new ABM CEO) but we've just put it on hold for a while,” he said.
The ABM CEO post has been vacant since May after Michelle Chai resigned following the humiliating 3-0 loss to the Philippines in the women’s team event at the 2023 Cambodia SEA Games in Phnom Penh - BERNAMA
