The Star Online > Sports Sunday, February 09, 2003 Ewe Hock gets off ‘lightly’ BY RAJES PAUL KUALA LUMPUR: Veteran shuttler Ong Ewe Hock got off with a “light punishment” when the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) announced their decision on his outburst. But he will still pay a heavy price. The BAM, after a council meeting here yesterday, said they were being kind to Ewe Hock, and slapped him with “just a three-month suspension” for hitting out at then secretary Zolkples Embong through the media. The suspension ends on Feb 26. At the same time, though, the BAM announced that the 30-year-old shuttler was one of the five men’s singles players dropped from the national squad yesterday. “We have considered Ewe Hock's contribution for the country. He has been one of our star players and also the nation's team captain on several occasions,” BAM president Datuk Nadzmi Mohd Salleh, who chaired the council meeting at Federal Hotel, said. “He has been a good player and has created no problems prior to this.” Ewe Hock, when contacted, did not want to comment and said: “I only got a message from Misbun that I’ve been dropped. I can only comment when I get it in black and white.” The others axed were National Grand Prix Finals runner-up Ismail Saman, world number 19 Sairul Amar Ayob, Ramesh Nathan and Mohd Nazree Latifi. The 27-year-old Ismail, Ramesh, 27, and Ewe Hock have reached their prime but the 23-year-old Sairul was a surprise omission. Women’s singles players M. Sutheaswari and K. Sugina were also dropped from the national squad. Nadzmi said they had dropped 20 players in their trimming exercise yesterday. Besides the seven from the national team, 13 others dropped are from the disbanded Special Project Squad in Pulapol. There were, however, no surprises in the doubles, with BAM naming eight men pairs and seven women players. “We deliberated at length on two major issues - on the national team and the disciplinary case on Ewe Hock. “We wanted a smaller national team and we have dropped, with immediate effect, five men’s singles players - Ismail, Ramesh, Ewe Hock, Sairul and Nazree. We have kept only the players who have the potential,” said Nadzmi. “We also dropped two in the women's singles and have promoted a few players from the Special Project Squad. “We now have 39 players in the national team. The players dropped will be given their monthly allowance until March 31.” Asked to give details on why the players were dropped, Nadzmi and national singles chief coach Misbun Sidek, who was present during the council meeting, would not elaborate. However, they said, they would continue to support these players. “Although they are dropped, we will still assist them. They can enter any tournament (local and international) on their own and we will give them our blessing. “We will encourage these players (dropouts) to join clubs and continue training. “In the past, Nusa Mahsuri produced several players who did well. It will be good to have competition from clubs. Then, the national players will have to be on their toes.” Meanwhile, the replacement for Zolkples was not named yesterday although the council had deliberated on the matter. “I have decided that our new secretary will be from the council. “We will announce the name of the new secretary in a few days,” said Nadzmi.
