Let Coaches 'worry' About Paris Olympics – Rexy

KUALA LUMPUR, May 15 (Bernama) -- Akademi Badminton Malaysia (ABM)  Director of Coaching, Rexy Mainaky wants the national shuttlers to stay calm as they face the challenge of competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics, scheduled to take place from July 26 to August 11.

With about 10 weeks left until Paris 2024, Rexy has instead "shifted the burden" to the coaches, urging them to take on the pressure faced by the players by putting in all their effort during training sessions to help their charges excel in the most prestigious quadrennial multi-sport Games.

"At a recent meeting with the players, I told them to stay calm and not worry about anything ahead of the 2024 Olympics.

"Let us (the coaches) take on the worry. I have also instructed the coaches involved to exhaust themselves, not the players. The coaches must work hard so the players can perform well at the Olympics," he told reporters after a training session here today.

Furthermore, he said that several initiatives have been taken to help the players focus better on the Olympics, including limiting media sessions at ABM Bukit Kiara and planning a workshop with the  Badminton Association of Malaysia  (BAM) psychologist Frederick Tan in Kuching, Sarawak, next month.

Previously, the media were allowed to cover the players' training sessions every Tuesday and Friday, but BAM has limited these sessions to Wednesdays until the end of the 2024 Olympics.

Rexy said the players have generally responded positively to the new steps taken by the coaching team and hope they can commit fully to bringing glory to the nation at the Porte de la Chapelle Arena.

"After returning from the Indonesia Open from June 4-9, the players will head to Sarawak where there will be no badminton activities. Instead, this will help the players release stress after competing in three consecutive tournaments," he said.

BAM shuttlers who have qualified for the 2024 Olympics include 2022 men's doubles world champions Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, top women's doubles pair Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah, and the country's number one mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei.

In addition, two professional shuttlers, men's singles player Lee Zii Jia and women's singles player Goh Jin Wei, have also qualified for the Paris Olympics.

Meanwhile, Rexy declined to comment on the job vacancy advertisement for the senior squad's men's singles coach position posted on Facebook yesterday.

Instead, he left it to BAM's Director of Administration, Michelle Chai, to answer all inquiries regarding the vacancy.

However, when contacted by Bernama, Michelle explained that the move is a standard procedure to help them face any future possibilities.

The job vacancy advertisement has raised questions about the fate of the three national men's singles coaches: Hendrawan, Datuk Tey Seu Bock, and James Chua.

Hendrawan and Seu Bock's contracts will expire at the end of this year, while James's contract ends this July.

-- BERNAMA