BAM unaware of Rashid's deal with IBL club

The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) has strongly denied former national singles head coach, Rashid Sidek's allegation that the association was aware of the contract signing agreement between him and the organiser of the Indian Badminton League (IBL). BAM general manager Kenny Goh said the national badminton body was unaware about the existence of such a contract and had never given consent to Rashid, the 1996 Atlanta Olympic bronze medallist, to enter into such a deal. He said former BAM president Datuk Seri Mohd Nadzmi Mohd Salleh, who is currently the Honorary-President of BAM, also had refuted Rashid's claims, adding that the matter was neither brought up nor approved in any of their council meetings. "As the General Manager of BAM, I was not made aware of his (Rashid) contractual signing with IBL, which I would not have allowed as this would constitute a breach of our contract with Rashid. "We became aware of this which was presented during a press conference held in Stadium Juara, yesterday," Goh said in a statement today. BAM president Tan Sri Tengku Mahaleel Tengku Ariff in a press conference yesterday had hinted of possible legal action against Rashid if the latter was proven to have breached a contract with the association by signing a contract with IBL side, Delhi Smashers. Rashid in his counter statement as reported by several dailies today claimed that BAM officials were aware about the contract signing between him and the organiser of the IBL. In a separate statement, BAM denied a local daily report which claimed that the association will issue a warning letter to Datuk Lee Chong Wei for standing up for Rashid. "BAM categorically refutes this statement, which is mischievous, irresponsible, speculative and demotivating to Datuk Lee Chong Wei who is playing in the Yonex Japan Open semi-finals today," the association said.