KUALA LUMPUR, May 10 — The future of national women’s doubles top pair Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah with Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) will be decided after their return from Thailand Open 2025, which kicks off May 13-18.
BAM deputy president 1 Datuk V. Subramaniam said both players have yet to sign and accept a new contract with the association.
“With the permission of our president we will call them for one more final discussion that is to inform them the decision.
“Now they are away in Thailand, so when they come back (final discussion) probably anytime next week,” he told a press conference after the 80th BAM annual general meeting here, today.
Subramaniam said the matter must be resolved quickly and reminded players against using contract negotiations as leverage.
“We also don’t want players to hold us at ransom because that must be very clear, if that is not clear, then we are creating a disease.
“So, all the other players have discussed and settled (new contract) except the both of them (Pearly-Thinaah),” he said.
Speculation has been rife that Pearly and Thinaah, whose contracts with BAM ended last December, plan to leave the national governing body.
The world number four pair will open their Thailand Open 2025 campaign against Japanese duo Hina Osawa-Akari Sato.
In the meantime, Subramaniam said the council meeting had agreed on the need for greater transparency regarding player earnings.
Similar to international practices such as in football where players’ salaries are publicly known, he said there may come a time when BAM will need to explain the financial aspects to the public.
He said any such disclosure, however, would be made after discussions with the players and when deemed necessary. — Bernama
