KUALA LUMPUR, March 24 — Professional men’s singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia may be out of action for a while as his team, Team LZJ, successfully applied for rank protection under the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
Team LZJ in a statement today said the move was made after careful consideration and advice from relevant parties, including medical experts.
“This is to allow Zii Jia to continue in his recovery from a right ankle injury, and (he) will miss upcoming tournaments, including the Badminton Asia Championships.
“Rest assured, we are doing our best to aid Zii Jia in his rehabilitation and training programme. His return to competitive on-court action will depend on his recovery,” it said.
Team LZJ thanked fans and sponsors for their unwavering support for the World No.8.
The 26-year-old, who won the Asian title in 2022, pulled out of the Swiss Open 2025, which ended yesterday, reportedly due to the injury.
Rank protection can be requested by any player who falls ill or suffers an injury that prevents them from competing for three to 12 months.
Once in effect, it will protect the players' original rankings so they can register for BWF World Tour tournaments when they return to fighting shape.
— Bernama
