KUALA LUMPUR: Men's doubles Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik are ready to keep the BAM flag flying in the wake of top players quitting the national association.
On Tuesday, it was reported that their teammates and former World No 1 Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong could be the next to leave BAM, following the departure of 2016 Olympic silver medallists, Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying.
While it is unconfirmed whether V Shem-Wee Kiong would follow suit, Aaron-Wooi Yik are prepared to take on the role of being BAM’s leading pair.
“We are ready anytime,” said a confident Aaron, when contacted today.
“The quality of our sparring (between national players in training) might be affected slightly but these are things we have no control over.
“Having said that, V Shem-Wee Kiong are top level players and they will still be Malaysia's No 1 even if they leave now.
“That alone is motivation for us to push ourselves as well. We must be ready to take on the responsibility.” " added 21-year-old Aaron, who together with Wooi Yik, are presently ranked World No 22.
News of V Shem-Wee Kiong's possible resignation comes as no surprise, following the pair's poor run in the last two years.
As a result, the 2016 BWF World Super Series Finals champions were given an ultimatum by BAM to buck up by April 2019 or face the axe.
However, V Shem-Wee Kiong are still Malaysia's best bet for a medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and it could be a blessing in disguise for them to try and qualify as independent players, when the one-year long qualifiers get underway in May, next year.
BAM have made it clear that they would not stop any player from leaving as the national body want to give these senior players the opportunity to chart their own course.
This is also in line with BAM’s planning for the 2020 Games, that focuses on younger players.