Lee Chong Wei eyes international stage for his badminton cup

Malaysian badminton icon Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei has set his sights on elevating the Lee Chong Wei Cup beyond domestic borders. His vision is to create a more robust international platform for emerging talent in the sport.

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The Lee Chong Wei Cup was supposed to be held last year, but we postponed it to this year because we couldn't find a suitable time and needed to discuss with BAM (Badminton Association of Malaysia) to avoid clashes with other local youth tournaments.

Following the inaugural tournament this year, Chong Wei aims to host both a local and an international youth competition next year. He emphasized that the cup is not solely about discovering new talent but also about immersing young players in the atmosphere of international-level tournaments before they embark on more significant career stages.

"The Lee Chong Wei Cup was supposed to be held last year, but we postponed it to this year because we couldn't find a suitable time and needed to discuss with BAM (Badminton Association of Malaysia) to avoid clashes with other local youth tournaments," he told reporters.

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If you want to do something, do it properly.

Chong Wei is committed to maintaining a high standard for the cup, focusing on professional management and competition facilities. He detailed meticulous attention to aspects like medical teams, scoreboards, and player rest areas to foster a truly professional environment. "If you want to do something, do it properly," he stated.

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I want to give the younger generation the experience after I retired. Before this, I already said that I want players who cannot go to international tournaments to at least feel the atmosphere here.

This year's event also served as a testbed for a 15-point scoring format, a new approach for youth competitions in Malaysia. Chong Wei believes this experience will be valuable for future planning, noting the importance of both talent and dedication in badminton. He also strategically scheduled the tournament during school holidays to prevent young players from missing classes.

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Some people say that youth tournaments don't need to be organized like this, but for me, at least when they go to international level in two or three years, they will have the experience and won't be surprised by the atmosphere.