Jadadish from BAM barred from the match-fixing hearing

Jadadish Chandra, the official at the Badminton Association of Malaysia, is barred from the match-fixing hearing today by the badminton governing body, Badminton World Federation (BWF).

Accused shuttlers, former world junior champion Zulfadli Zulkiffli, 25, and ex-Thomas Cupper Tan Chun Seang, 31, are appearing before the three-member panel of BWF’s disciplinary committee on six charges of match-fixing activities that date back to tournaments in 2013.

Jadadish, who is a key member of BAM’s Rules, Disciplinary and Integrity Committee, had attended the first day of the hearing on Monday at a hotel in Singapore.

Jadadish is shocked to receive the news of the preclude by BWF, as the lawyers of the two match-fixing guilty-parties has objection of his involvement in the case.

“Today, at around 9am, I was contacted by BWF chief executive officer Stuart Borrie, who said that the chairperson of the three-men independent panel had received complaints from the players’ lawyers. They claimed that I was feeding information to the media.

“However, they did not specify which statement it was that led to the move to stop me from attending the hearing.

“I was only informed that my pass as an observer had been revoked,” Jadadish said as quoted by the News Straits Times.

Dismayed by this unfair decision by BWF, Jadadish said, “If there was any objection from the players' lawyers, then it should have happened at the hearing at 10am. How can they inform me at 9am when the hearing has not even started?”

BAM president Norza Zakaria said they had sent a protest letter to BWF for barring Jadadish from the hearing.

“The BA of Malaysia are disappointed with BWF’s move to instruct Jadadish to stay out of the hearing,” said Norza.