Hafiz: I’m leaving

Posted by Lucas Liau Top News 11:04 AM

MOHD Hafiz Hashim wants out of the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) to become a professional player.
And he made this shocking revelation after going down 14-21, 16-21 to Chen Long of China in the first round of the Proton Malaysia Open at the Putra Stadium in Bukit Jalil yesterday.
The 29-year-old said that his game had stagnated and it was time to turn professional in a bid to re-ignite his chances to qualify for the London Olympics next year.

This is the second quit notice in three weeks that the BAM had to deal with after coach Misbun Sidek tendered his resignation on Dec 31, which prompted world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei to make a statement that he was ready to follow his coach.
Hafiz said that he spoke to the BAM secretary, Ng Chin Chai, before Christmas last year on his intention to leave but he was talked out of it.
Hafiz, who joined the BAM in 2008, has a contract to run with the association until 2012 and he fears being slapped a ban if he chooses to leave.
“I just want to go out in a good way. The BAM told me to stay on and that was a surprise to me. Why do they still want me when I am not producing results?” he said.
“This defeat by Chen Long showed that my game has stagnated and I am going nowhere. The public already have a wrong perception of me.
“What is the point to stay in the national team when I keep losing in the early rounds. Do they still want to keep me if I lose early in the South Korea Open next week and then at the All-England?
“They told me that they need me to raise the standard of the younger players. I appreciate that they are going to fund me for 14 tournaments this year but I think it’s best that they use this money to send out the juniors.
“I am sorry but I just cannot stay in the BAM any more. I want to be free and not tied down. I have no explanation with the way I feel right now.”
Hafiz added that he had not made plans on the club he would join.
“No, I am not going back to Nusa Mahsuri. I may join KLRC or another club. I am open to opportunities, locally or abroad. What is more important is that I need a change of environment,” he said.
“I hope that the BAM will give me their blessings. I hope they will allow me to go out and play and try to qualify for the Olympics as an independent player.”
Meanwhile, Chong Wei recovered from a 3-11 deficit in the second game to beat Tommy Sugiarto of Indonesia 21-17, 21-18 in 43 minutes.
“I was caught off guard because of delay in matches yesterday. I did not really know it was my turn to play. I lacked warm-up. It is my fault for being ignorant,” said the defending champion, who will play against Hong Kong’s Hu Yun today for a place in the quarter-finals.
On Hafiz’s decision to quit the BAM, Chong Wei said: “He knows best on what he is doing. He may be able to revive his game by moving out of the BAM. We need to support him.”
The only seeded player to bow out in the first round of the men’s singles competition was seventh seed Bao Chunlai of China, who was beaten 20-22, 22-24 by Kenichi Tago of Japan.
Denmark’s Hans-Kristian Vittinghus almost pulled off another big upset but squandered a 16-11 lead in the decider to lose 23-21, 16-21, 17-21 against world champion Chen Jin of China.