M'sia's Chong Wei Will Continue Playing Until 2016 Rio De Janeiro Olympics - Youth & Sports Minister

KUALA LUMPUR, April 17 (Bernama) -- World number one Lee Chong Wei will carry on playing until the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said. Khairy said to ensure Chong Wei continues playing at the optimum level, the National Sports Institute (ISN) would provide him all the support needed, including providing physiotherapy services on a full time basis. "I had a heart to heart talk with Chong Wei recently. I requested him to refrain from saying that he will retire this year and he agreed to continue playing until the 2016 Olympics. "Athletes like Chong Wei and Nicol David (squash queen) must be given special attention to ensure they remain at the optimum level to win medals for the country," he told reporters after launching the Women@Work forum. The forum was organised in conjunction with the BMW Malaysia Open Tennis Championship 2014 at the Royal Selangor Golf Club, here Thursday. Speaking of Chong Wei's drop in performance, especially after losing to Simon Santoso of Indonesia in the final of the Singapore Open Super Series last Sunday, Khairy said though Chong Wei is the world number one, winning and losing is part of the game. "We should not make a conclusion when he loses a match. That is not right. We have to admit that Chong Wei remains Malaysia's best hope of winning an Olympic gold medal," he said. On Sunday, Chong Wei was convincingly beaten by Santoso in straight sets, 15-21, 10-21 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium during a final that lasted just 48 minutes. Chong Wei who had already won the Malaysia Open in January, All England in March and the India Open early this month, was gunning for his fourth Super Series title. -- BERNAMA