SEA Games: Taufiq rules out knee-jerk action after badminton medal shortfall

BANGKOK: Sports officials have acknowledged the disappointment surrounding badminton's SEA Games campaign but firmly dismissed calls for immediate conclusions, insisting that accountability would be determined through a structured and collective review rather than emotional reactions.

Questions during the post-Games press conference centred on badminton's failure to meet its four-gold target and coaching director Rexy Mainaky's remarks about being prepared to step aside following the tournament.

Instead, Malaysia returned with one gold, two silvers and six bronzes for a total of nine medals — a haul that fell short of expectations but, according to authorities, must be assessed within a broader performance framework.

Youth and Sports Minister Dr Taufiq Johari cautioned against knee-jerk responses, stressing that the SEA Games represent only one of several performance benchmarks.

"We need to understand the planning — both short-term and long-term — for badminton," he said.

"The SEA Games are one milestone. They may not have reached this one, but they could reach others in different tournaments.

"As long as they remain within the milestones that have been set, it shows we are still on the right track. We must not have a knee-jerk reaction where one unsuccessful competition becomes a death sentence."

Shahrul acknowledged Rexy's disappointment but underlined that responsibility does not rest on a single individual.

"Rexy may have been deeply disappointed with the SEA Games outcome, but the BAM president has also made it clear that this is a collective responsibility," he said.

National Sports Council (NSC) director-general Jefri Ngadirin confirmed that badminton along with other sports that did not meet expectations would be subjected to a formal post-mortem once team managers submit their reports.

"Yes, once all reports are submitted, we will conduct discussions involving the relevant national sports associations, the Olympic Council of Malaysia, the contingent management and the National Sports Institute to identify weaknesses and shortcomings," said Jefri.

However, both the minister and the NSC declined to single out other sports — including diving, which failed to assert its usual dominance — stressing that athletes competed under challenging conditions and that explanations would be sought through formal review channels rather than public scrutiny.