DOPING: Chong Wei hearing postponed

Datuk Lee Choong Wei's doping issue, Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the lawyer appointed by the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) had sent a letter to the Badminton World Federation (BWF) to request for the hearing of the case to be postponed.

He said it was because Chong Wei's counsel needed time to prepare the case in more detail after BAM was informed that the date of the hearing was scheduled this Dec 8 in Amsterdam.

Chong Wei is currently suspended temporarily by BWF after he was found positive of using the prohibited substance 'dexamethasone' during the World Championship in Copenhagen, Denmark, last August.

Meanwhile, the Youth and Sports Ministry and Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) will assess the status of the Bukit Jalil National Stadium football field this Tuesday to see whether it can be used for the AFF Suzuki Cup semi-finals.

"The choice is in FAM's hands. Shah Alam stadium is also ready, The decision will be made soon," its minister Khairy Jamaluddin told reporters after presenting credentials to Youth Members of Parliament here today.

He also congratulated the Malaysian football team for entering the semi-finals after defeating Singapore 3-1 last night at the Kallang National Stadium, Singapore.

Previously it was reported the ministry had decided to repair the Bukit Jalil National Stadium's field after it was damaged following the finals of the Malaysia Cup between Pahang and Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) last Nov 1.

In the semi-finals early next month, Malaysia will meet the Group A champion, Vietnam or Thailand, the three times champion and is set to make calculations with Group A runner-up Philippines. The semi-finals will be conducted based on the reciprocal format, whereby the first match of the semi-finals will be on Dec 6 and 7 while the second match to be held on Dec 10 and 11.