KUALA LUMPUR, May 10 — The future of national women’s doubles top pair Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah with the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) will be decided after their return from the Thailand Open 2025, which runs from May 13 to May 18.
BAM deputy president 1 Datuk V. Subramaniam said both players have yet to sign and accept a new contract with the association.
“With the permission of our president, we will call them for one more final discussion to inform them of the decision.
“Now they are away in Thailand, so when they come back (final discussion) probably anytime next week,” he said during a press conference after the 80th BAM annual general meeting today.
Subramaniam added that the matter must be resolved quickly and reminded players against using contract negotiations as leverage.
“We also do not want players to hold us at ransom because that must be very clear, if that is not clear, then we are creating a disease.
“So, all the other players have discussed and settled (new contract) except both of them (Tan-Thinaah),” he said.
Speculation has been rife that Tan and Thinaah, whose contracts with BAM ended in December, plan to leave the national governing body.
The world number four pair will open their Thailand Open 2025 campaign against the Japanese duo of Hina Osawa and Akari Sato.
In the meantime, Subramaniam said the council meeting had agreed on greater transparency regarding player earnings.
Similar to international practices like in football, where players’ salaries are publicly known, he said there may come a time when BAM will need to explain the financial aspects to the public.
However, any such disclosure would be made after discussions with the players and when deemed necessary.
— Bernama
