Selvaraj urges BAM to retain Justin Hoh and Leong Jun Hao

Former international Datuk James Selvaraj has warned that dropping men’s singles shuttlers Justin Hoh and Leong Jun Hao could severely weaken the national squad. He wants both players retained for at least another year to give them time to improve their form ahead of the qualifying campaign for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

His comments come before a planned evaluation by the BA of Malaysia (BAM), which will decide which players are retained, dropped or brought into the association’s development programmes. The review is due in December, while the Olympic qualification period is expected to begin between March and April next year.

Rankings underline Selvaraj’s concern

Selvaraj pointed to the players’ current world rankings as a reason to keep them. Leong is ranked 31st and Justin 46th, putting them among the country’s leading men’s singles players, he said.

“Based on current world rankings, Leong is 31st while Justin is 46th, making them two of the country’s best men’s singles players,” Selvaraj said. He argued that BAM has few options in men’s singles at present, identifying Justin and Leong as players who have shown good performances based on their rankings, alongside Lee Zii Jia.

Selvaraj also questioned whether younger players could be ready quickly enough to fill any gap. “If we drop them, what will happen to the rest? Younger players aged 16 or 17 might need another four to five years to reach a higher level,” he said.

His concern centres on the time needed to develop those players. With Olympic qualification expected to start next year, Selvaraj said BAM should take that development period into account rather than make a hasty decision on Justin and Leong.

December review will shape the squad

BAM performance committee chairman Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei has said a comprehensive evaluation will be conducted in December. It will determine which players stay, which are dropped and which enter the association’s development programmes.

Selvaraj’s proposal is to keep both for at least another year, allowing them more time to improve while BAM considers how long its younger men’s singles players may need to reach a higher level.

The timing makes the December evaluation significant: it is scheduled before the expected start of Olympic qualification between March and April next year.