Liu Ying backs RTG push to support pros with better training base
KUALA LUMPUR: Former national shuttler Goh Liu Ying has welcomed the Road to Gold's (RTG) move to support professional players, calling it a timely and crucial step towards better training conditions.
Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh revealed on Saturday that the RTG committee is in the process of identifying a new training venue for independent shuttlers under the high-performance initiative.
Currently, they are based at a sports centre in a shopping mall in Sri Petaling.
On Wednesday, men's doubles world No. 1 Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani and mixed doubles world No. 6 Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai confirmed their commitment to the RTG programme.
Liu Ying, who turned professional after leaving the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) in 2018, said independent players often lack access to essential facilities and structured support.
"Independent players definitely don't receive the same level of support as those under BAM," said Liu Ying at the launch of the Kidslympic event at Dataran DBKL on Sunday.
"In the lead-up to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (held in 2021), my former partner Chan Peng Soon and I had to seek help from the National Sports Council (NSC) and National Sports Institute (NSI).
"We needed not just a proper training venue, but also a full support team."
Liu Ying, who won silver in the mixed doubles with Peng Soon at the Rio Olympics, stressed that proper accommodation and access to physiotherapy are crucial for professionals, particularly during packed tournament schedules.
"With the current Badminton World Federation (BWF) calendar, players can be involved in two to four tournaments a month. If you reach back-to-back finals, your performance is bound to dip," she said.
"So how do you stay at your peak? That's where a proper support team becomes indispensable."
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