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Malaysia’s top badminton player Lee Zii Jia has decided to put country before cash, agreeing to play for the national team without demanding his usual image rights payments.
The 27-year-old star had been in a negotiation with the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) over money and control.
But with Malaysia’s shot at ending a 34-year Thomas Cup drought on the line, he chose to compromise.
The former All England champion and Olympic Games bronze medallist will join Malaysia’s Thomas Cup 2026 squad, his team announced.
Putting Malaysia First
The decision represents a major shift for Zii Jia, who previously insisted on image rights payments but now waives them as a sign of his commitment and dedication to Malaysia.
The finals are in Horsens, Denmark, from 24 April to 3 May, and Malaysia desperately needs their best player if they want to win the Thomas Cup for the first time since 1992.
Zii Jia thanked BAM President Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz and Performance Committee Chairman Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei for giving him another chance.
“We hope this becomes a new starting point for Zii Jia and BAM to move forward together for the sake of Malaysian badminton,” the statement said.
Translation: Everyone’s ready to move on and focus on bringing back the glory days.
READ MORE: Lee Zii Jia Has Conditions Before Joining Malaysia’s Thomas Cup Squad – And BAM Is Scrambling
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