Taufik Hidayat may join KLRC

Reported in Star Sport today, "Taufik seeks PBSI nod to seal Sponsorship deal with KLRC"

26-year-old Taufik candidly said that he has agreed to be sponsored by the Malaysian club as he is not young anymore and the sponsorship offered by KLRC, owned by Datuk Andrew Kam with whom he enjoys a good relationship, is a good chance for him to make money to secure his future.

It seems hitherto PBSI requires a fee of US$300,000 for the whole Indonesian team and this high price has deterred many interested individual sponsors. Taufik hopes that PBSI will agree to a lower fee as it does not involve the entire Indonesian team.

Taufik, however, stressed that if the offer is successful, he will be the first Indonesian to wear the KLRC name on his attire, but will play for Indonesia in international tournaments. He hopes to display his individual sponsor's name before the All-England in March. But I guess, this does not prevent him from playing for KLRC in non-international competitions, like inter-club leagues, which the BWF is trying to promote, I think.

This is an interesting development and I wonder whether it will lead to the badminton talents of China following a similar course. Then you may find China's players, or other countries' national players, representing different clubs all around the world! A Super Inter-Club League in the making!

Well, Malaysia's Roslin Hashim has more or less paved the way by playing in the Danish league. And I think some other national players have also gone that way, though with less publicity.