KUALA LUMPUR: After having contributed to badminton in the country for more than a decade, veteran shuttler Wong Choong Hann and the doubles pair of Choong Tan Fook/Lee Wan Wah have finally decided to leave Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) at the end of the month.

However, the decision does not mean that they are giving up professional competition as they will be on their own and looking for sponsors, at least for the next two or three years.

“In the meantime, we will also be taking the examination for the coaching certificate from BAM,” Choong Hann told reporters, here yesterday.

However, Choong Hann said he was not planning to be a coach in the near future but would acquire additional knowledge in coaching in the next two to three years.

Choong Hann’s career in badminton began in the Malaysia Open Championship in 1991 and won his first international championship in the Dutch Open in 1997.

In 2002, Choong Hann represented Malaysia and helped the country to emerge as runners-up behind Indonesia in the Thomas Cup.

For Wan Wah and Tan Fook, the remaining two years before their retirement would be utilised to enjoy as much in the sport which they liked ever since their childhood days.

Wan Wah had won the gold medal in the Asian Badminton Championship for two years consecutively in 2006 and 2007 and won the Malaysia Open in 2004.

Meanwhile, president Datuk Mohd Nadzmi Salleh said BAM had to respect the decision of the trio to leave the association.

“Choong Hann, Tan Fook and Wan Wah represent a generation of disciplined badminton players who are of calibre and I believe they will continue to succeed whether as players or coaches although they will no longer play under BAM,” he said.

Asked on the chances of the trio in becoming coaches under BAM, Mohd Nadzmi said the association could only decide after its restructuring had been completed in November.

— Bernama