NST Online: Sports

Badminton / Singapore Open: Pairs out to prove themselves

Posted: 13 Jun 2011 05:25 PM PDT

2011/06/14
K.M. Boopathy
boopathy@nstp.com.my

Tan Wee Kiong (left) and Mak Hee Chun could use the tournament to patch up their differences.

SEVERAL doubles pairs and veteran singles player Wong Choon Hann will use the Singapore Open, which begins today, to boost their standings with the BA of Malaysia (BAM).

Professional doubles pair Gan Teik Chai-Tan Bin Shen, who were left out of the World Championships by the BAM despite having qualified on merit, will want to prove a point by doing well in the Super Series event.

Teik Chai-Bin Shen, after an easy opener against Adam Cwalina-Michal Logosz of Poland, must overcome possible second round rivals Chai Biao-Guo Zhendong of China to prove that BAM had indeed made a mistake in omitting them from the World Championships.

Should they advance, Teik Chai-Bin Shen face yet another tough hurdle in third seeds Ko Sung Hyun-Yoo Yeon Seong of South Korea in the last eight.

Teik Chai-Bin Shen must make a strong statement in this Super Series event in order not to be sidelined for future major events.

Fairuzizuan Tazari-Ong Soon Hock, who were also overlooked by BAM who opted for Zakry Latif-Hoon Thien How instead, can also continue their progress and improve their current World No 19 ranking.

There is every possibility that Fairuz-Soon Hock could meet fast improving compatriots Goh Wei Shem-Lim Khim Wah in the first round.

Wei Shem-Khim Wah will be playing in the qualifying rounds today and should make the main draw.

Troubled combination Mak Hee Chun-Tan Wee Kiong must use the event to bury their differences and try to qualify for the main draw.

They must get past Rendy Sugiarto-Afiat Yuris Wirawan of Indonesia and Hong Wei-Shen Ye of China to make the tournament proper.

Choong Hann has yet to get past the first round in the Super Series but the veteran gets his best chance in Singapore as he opens against a qualifier, who is expected to be either Przemyslaw Wacha of Poland or Denmark's Viktor Axelsen.

A win will pit Choong Hann against either Bao Chunlai of China or Indonesia's Sony Dwi Kuncoro where he will be out to prove that he is not in Singapore to make up the numbers.

Two other Malaysians will be playing in the qualifying rounds where Hafiz Hashim takes on Ajay Jayram of India while Liew Daren meets Dicky Palyama of the Netherlands.

They will play each other for a place in the main draw if they win their matches.

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Hockey: Match-fixing shocker

Posted: 13 Jun 2011 05:24 PM PDT

2011/06/14
Jugjet Singh
jugjet@nst.com.my

National players allegedly playing to lose to settle gambling debts

HOCKEY has been rocked by allegations of corruption after it emerged that four, and possiblymore, national players have been fixing matches to settle gambling debts.

The players are apparently heavy punters of English Premier League (EPL) matches and after losing as much as RM30,000 each, have allegedly fixed Malaysian international matches and made killings on them by betting.

The Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) suspected something amiss during the recent Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh where the national team, despite dominating play, lost two matches in the last fiveminutes on each occasion.

The MHF has already called in the police and it is learnt an officer from the Anti- Gambling and Vice unit recently met officials from the federation for further information.

The MHF also discussed the matter during its management committee meeting last week.

A source said it was a well-known fact that certain players bet heavily on the EPL and other sports.

"It has, however, reached disturbing levels as the players are getting deeper into debt and when forced to pay, have opted to fix matches involving them and then betting on Malaysia to lose," said the source.

Odds on international hockey matches are also offered on certain gambling websites and this could be where the players are placing their bets.

An even more alarming situation could be that these players are "forced" to play below par by the syndicates to whom they owe money to.

Thiswon't only help settle the players'gambling debts but the bookies could make a bigger killing by taking bets from other punters.

The source added that team officials had received information thatmatches were fixed in theAzlan Shah Cup.

Malaysia fell to four consecutive defeats — 3-1 to Britain, 2-1 to Australia, 5-2 to India and 3-2 to New Zealand.

The information was that certain players were playing below par on purpose and team officials issued a warning in the stadium's changing room just before the match against South Korea.The players responded by beating Korea 3-1.

It is learnt the players have not been dropped yet as MHF is still investigating but it has been made known to all that action will be swift and harsh as MHF is determined to ensure that Malaysia is represented by a clean squad for the 2012 London Olympics Qualifier.

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Kredit: www.nst.com.my

Isnin, 13 Jun 2011

NST Online: Sports

NST Online: Sports

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