Cancer-hit Lee eyes badminton return

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 6, (AFP): Malaysia’s former world number one Lee Chong Wei could return to the badminton training court within a fortnight after fighting back from nose cancer, an official told AFP on Thursday.

The three-time Olympic silver medallist, who has spent nearly five months on the sidelines, is already doing light fitness work after receiving a clean bill of health from doctors, Malaysia’s badminton chief said.

“He sounded cheerful,” said Norza Zakaria, president of the Badminton Association of Malaysia, after speaking to Lee on the phone.

“Yes I think so,” he added, when asked to confirm reports that Lee would resume playing in training in two weeks.

Norza also told the Star Online: “I’m sure he will be ready by the time the Olympic qualifying period commences on May 1.”

Lee, now down at 15th in the Badminton World Federation rankings, last played competitively at the Indonesian Open in July.

After losing to world champion Kento Momota of Japan in the semifinals, he flew to Taiwan for specialist proton therapy – where the cancer is targeted with a beam of protons – and chemotherapy.

But last month Lee, 36, insisted he was not going to hang up his racket.

“I want to come back to court,” he told a press conference, adding: “As of now, I am not retiring.”

Lee also said he was targeting a competitive comeback at the All England Open in March, and was still eying an elusive Olympic gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

Lee’s unsuccessful attempts to capture Malaysia’s first ever Olympic gold medal at three consecutive Summer Games were followed avidly back home, as was his longrunning rivalry with Chinese superstar Lin Dan.

His last shot at the Olympic title at Rio 2016 ended in a crushing failure when the Malaysian lost out to China’s Chen Long in a nail-biting final.

Nose cancer is perhaps the biggest blow suffered by Lee, who was banned after testing positive for a proscribed antiinflammatory at the 2014 world championships.

Lee returned to the sport in 2015, after authorities accepted he took the drug inadvertently. creditors in federal bankruptcy court in Indianapolis.

“Our organization is a financially solid going concern but for the hundred lawsuits that we do have out there,” Carson said on a conference call with reporters. “That is the primary reason that we made this filing, to use the Chapter 11 process as a vehicle for resolving those claims.”

Nassar was sentenced to up to 300 years in prison in two different trials in Michigan last February after more than 350 women testified about abuse at his hands, including Olympic champions Aly Raisman and Jordyn Wieber.

The scandal prompted the entire board of directors at Indianapolisbased USA Gymnastics to resign, along with the president and athletic director at Michigan State University, where Nassar also worked. The school agreed to a $500 million settlement with his victims earlier this year.

In addition, three chief executives of USA Gymnastics have stepped down in the last two years amid criticism of their handling of the Nassar case. Many gymnasts who suffered abuse at Nassar’s hands have accused USAG of failing to investigate earlier complaints about his misconduct.

The filing could complicate efforts by Nassar’s victims to recover damages from the organization through lawsuits. Typically, a bankruptcy petition will temporarily halt any litigation while the process unfolds in bankruptcy court.

“This bankruptcy filing will suspend all lawsuits by Nassar survivors and their ongoing efforts to discover the truth about who at USA Gymnastics and the

In this file photo taken on Dec 5, the offices of USA Gymnastics and the US Olympic Committee are seen on Nov 6, 2018 in Indianapolis,

Indiana. (AFP)