Kuala Lumpur: Professional men’s singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia has officially rejected the offer to join the Road To Gold (RTG) programme in preparation for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games (LA2028). This decision was confirmed by Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh during an RTG press conference held at the Youth and Sports Ministry Tower today. Despite his decision, Hannah Yeoh stated that the opportunity remains available for Zii Jia should he decide to join the RTG in the future.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Zii Jia was among 16 athletes shortlisted for the RTG programme in April. This marks the second instance where the Paris Olympics bronze medallist has declined an invitation to participate in the RTG, following a similar decision made in 2023. Meanwhile, Team LZJ, in a statement, expressed their appreciation to the RTG committee, particularly Hannah Yeoh, for extending the offer to join the programme.

Team LZJ explained that after thorough consideration, they decided against participating in the RTG. They acknowledged RTG as a programme dedicated to the nation’s elite athletes, and given Zii Jia’s ongoing recovery from an injury, they believe that the resources and support from the programme should be allocated to other athletes who may currently benefit more.