Kien Keat's interest in BWF delights Chin Chai

KOO Kien Keat is vying for a position in the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Athletes' Commission later this month, a move which BA of Malaysia (BAM) secretary Ng Chin Chai believes will bring positive changes to the player's performance.
Kien Keat will be vying for one of three slots with seven others -- Cai Yun (China), Hans-Kristian Vittinghus (Denmark), Wang Xin (China), Imogen Bankier (Scotland), Kaveh Mehrabi (Iran), Greysia Polii (Indonesia) and Yuhan Tan (Belgium) -- with players who are in the main and qualifying draws of the German Open and All England eligible to vote.
Players ranked in the top 150 in the men's and women's singles, and doubles pairs ranked in the top 95 are also eligible to vote in the elections which will be held on Feb 26-27 in Mulheim and on March 5-6 in Birmingham.
The male and female players with the highest votes as well as the player with the third highest votes (of any gender) will join current members of the Commission -- Lee Yong Dae (South Korea), Emma Mason (Scotland), Rorigo Pacheco (Peru) and Pedro Yang of Guatamala.
The additional perk is that the chairman of the committee, to be selected on a later date, will have a seat in the BAM council.
"Kien Keat will be the first Malaysian to sit in the Athletes' Commission if he is elected and it is going to make him a more responsible player and also improve his discipline," said Chin Chai.
"He is going to represent his fellow players and he must lead from the front.
"Obviously, Kien Keat would be embarrassed if he doesn't do well in tournaments (with Tan Boon Heong) and I believe the position will make him produce better results on the international stage.
"I believe he is a good candidate and if he becomes a committee member, there will plenty of positive changes in him.
"It will be a bonus if he is elected as the chair as it grants him a chance to become a BWF council member and we can have a louder voice on the world stage."
The results of the Athletes' Commission election will be announced on May 7.
Courtesy of New Straits Times