Thank your lucky stars Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin to be given another chance to remain in the national badminton team’s elite squad and resurrect your badminton career.
To escape with only a fine is the best “Hari Raya present” you can receive this year despite failing to help Malaysia achieve their semi-final target in last month’s Thomas Cup Finals in Bangkok, Thailand.
Iskandar, as has been reported by the local media and reinforced by national singles head coach Datuk Misbun Sidek, you are a “bright badminton talent” who is capable of ruling the badminton world.
This talent, however, has been ruined by your “indiscipline” over the years. Your indiscipline has been the main drawback of your badminton career. It is now in the open and you have admitted your shortcomings off the court.
In the past, even during tournaments, you have been “caught” by the media, returning to your hotel as late as 2 am after going out for your “nasi lemak” when you had a match hours later. The only thing is that it was not blown up by the media.
Now that your indiscipline has been exposed it is time for you to grab your new lease of life in the sport and in the national team to make good of your badminton career.
There are still a couple of years of badminton in you and don’t let this chance go to waste. This, however, will very much depend on how much sacrifices you are willing to make.
Also, don’t forget that you have a mountain to climb against the up and coming youngsters from your own country and not forgetting the rising stars from China, Indonesia, Japan, and even India to just to name a few countries.
Names like Shi Yuqi, Anthony Ginting, Christie Jonatan, Kento Momota, K. Srikanth, B. Sai Praneeth, Lee Zii Jia, Leong Jun Hao are all scaling new heights in their game.
Do not be satisfied or get big headed with your badminton career just because you have won some minor tournaments, both locally or overseas.
Instead, let that small success be the stepping stone to scale greater heights in your badminton career if you want to go far in the shuttle sport.
The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) was rather lenient in letting you off with just a fine for smoking in the hotel room in Bangkok (where the Malaysian team was staying for the Thomas Cup Finals).
The “offence” would not have surfaced if not for the hotel demanding payment from the BAM for extra charges to clean up the room.
The one-time 50 percent fine of your monthly allowance is a “lifeline” for you to put your badminton career back on track.
The shuttle is now at your feet. Take a hard look at this opportunity and decide, which of course means it is all about your self-discipline, without which you are a goner. – BY RIZAL ABDULLAH
