"Arrogant" Malaysian badminton duo face Indonesia
Author: ANTARA
Date: 11 May 2007
Category: World News
Malaysia's badminton coach has warned he may axe All-England doubles champions Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong from the Indonesian Open because success has gone to their heads.
Rexy Mainaky said he may exclude the duo from the Indonesian tournament in mid-May as well as other punishments, such as taking away their mobile phones, after a dismal performance in the Asian Badminton Championships, AFP reported.
The pair lost in the final last week after struggling through a semi-final match.
Rexy singled out Koo for his prima donna behaviour after the pair's "worst performance" of the tournament.
"If I don't take any action, it means I condone his actions and Kien Keat may repeat this," the New Straits Times quoted him as saying.
"I cannot accept my players being arrogant and Kien Keat must realise that he has a massive responsibility on his shoulders," he said.
"This is the pair we are grooming to win the World Championships and the Olympic gold in Beijing" in 2008."
Rexy said he feared Koo and Tan had become big-headed after their wins in the All-England Open, as well as the Asian Games, the Malaysian Open and the Swiss Open.
"People are looking up to them because of their successes on the international arena and the attention and praises are getting to them," Rexy said in the Star daily.
"If I have to impose any restrictions, it is for their own good," he added.
