No team or country has been allowed to take extra team members by the Tokyo 2020 organisers because of strict Covid-19 protocols.

This leaves the badminton team of Malaysia in a tight spot. It has just one qualifier in each of the 5 disciplines – Lee Zii Jia (men’s singles), Soniia Cheah (women’s singles), Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik (men’s doubles), Chow Mei Kuan-Lee Meng Yean (women’s doubles) and Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying (mixed doubles).

Due to this, the coaches have been forced to step in and take the role of sparring partners in Tokyo. 

Regarding the situation, Head coach Wong Choong Hann said, “The coaches now are equally busy as the players. They are in the gymnasium and doing all kinds of activities to keep fit. All of us are practically on the court, training together with the players”

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