NSC seeks clarity on BAM request for additional badminton coaches

KUALA LUMPUR: The National Sports Council (NSC) is seeking further details on the BA of Malaysia's (BAM) request for additional coaches following a shift in the national body's player development structure.

BAM intends to move away from assigning coaches to specific players, proposing a rotation-based system to address development gaps.

To support this, BAM is reportedly close to appointing two additional coaches, with a third under consideration, to cover singles categories from junior to senior levels.

NSC director-general Jefri Ngadirin said upcoming discussions would provide a clearer picture, adding that the council would try to accommodate the request.

"For badminton, we will have a workshop on Jan 22-23 and a joint working committee meeting in early February to discuss the plans in detail," he said.

"For now, we have heard figures of four or six additions, but we do not know where they will be placed, whether at the back-up, podium or Road to Gold level. Only after the workshop will we have a clear picture of their plans."

Jefri said cost considerations would also be assessed, noting that badminton already receives significant government funding while BAM also has support from its own sponsors.

In a separate development, Jefri said all necessary preparations are in place to ensure the 2026 Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) runs smoothly.

He said NSC will submit an official working paper to the cabinet on the organisation of the UCI 2.Pro Series event to secure government funding support.

"Don't worry. We still have plenty of time because last year we only started discussions with the relevant parties in April. The most important thing is that teams want to compete in Malaysia," he said.

Jefri added that the Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF) must ensure riders take part, noting that Malaysia successfully organised the race from 2023 to 2025 and was recognised as the best organiser.

He said the government allocated RM12 million for the period from 2023 to 2025, with any new funding application to be submitted to the cabinet before an official announcement on future editions is made.