AOP helps badminton players to qualify for 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games

PETALING JAYA: The Asia Olympic Project (AOP), which began on Nov 27 in Kuala Lumpur, has become among platforms for the Badminton Asia Confederation (BAC) to help players from developing countries in the continent to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

BAC chief operating officer Kenny Goh said the programme ending Dec 11,

would select players aged between 18 and 24, from developing countries like Jordan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Syria and Sri Lanka, which had potential to go far in the sport.

He said the programme also received support from several former national players such as Wong Choong Hann, Chew Choon Eng and Lee Wan Wah.

“This is the first time we are organising a training camp and because BAC’s office is located in Kuala Lumpur, we have chosen this country as the first training centre for the programme,” Goh told a press conference before handing over badminton equipment to the programme’s four of 12 players here yesterday.

“After this, we will probably organise the training in Indonesia and India and we will try to get help from badminton legends like Hariyanto Arbi of Indonesia,” he said, adding that all expenses for players were borne by the BAC.

Goh said the programme would be continued until the Tokyo Olympic Games but at the same time, an assessment of the current performance of selected players would also be carried out to ensure the programme would meet its goals.

In another development, he said BAC would meet the honorary secretary of badminton associations of West Asia and Central Asia on Dec 15 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on the Road to Buenos Aires 2018 programme.

He stressed the programme was aimed at helping at least 20 of the best players from Asia’s developing countries, to be qualified for the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina. - Bernama