Arif quits BAM to save career

Moving on: Mohd Arif Latif said he ended ties with BAM after 10 years because he felt that his game had stagnated.

KUALA LUMPUR: Another former top junior shuttler has joined the BAM exodus in a bid to save their career.

Yesterday, Mohd Arif Abdul Latif, a former Asian Junior runner-up, and a strong contender to represent Malaysia in next year’s Thomas Cup Finals, said that he had handed his resignation letter to the Badminton Association of Malaysia.

The 23-year-old Arif said he ended ties with BAM after 10 years because he felt that his game had stagnated.

Arif, who trains under former world champion Hendrawan of Indonesia, is the third big name to leave the men’s singles department this year after reigning national champion Misbun Ramdan Misbun and Chan Kwong Beng.

In recent times - Tan Chun Seang and Lim Fang Yang also left. Vountus Indra Mawan (men’s doubles), his sister Sannatasah Saniru (girls’ singles) and several others have also ended their stint with the BAM.

Arif is currently the country’s fourth ranked player after Lee Chong Wei, Chong Wei Feng and Liew Daren. 

He joined the BAM’s Academy as a Form One student in 2003 and made it to the national team in 2008 after ending his junior career on high.

In 2007, he defeated Chen Long of China en route to leading Malaysia to the team title at the Asian Junior Championships.

However, his stint in the national back-team squad had been a roller-coaster ride.

“I have been playing without motivation for the last few months and decided to make a decision on my career. I have handed my resignation letters to four people on Friday - BAM president Datuk Seri Nadzmi Mohd Salleh, general manager Kenny Goh, coaching and training chairman Ng Chin Chai and National Sports Council (NSC) director general Datuk Zolkples,” said Arif.

Arif, who is the first reserve for this year’s World Championships in Guangzhou from Aug 5-11, will be competing in the Indonesia and Taiwan Open Grand Prix Gold events next and is hoping the BAM will allow him to leave.

“I will train on my own and will look for a sponsor. I need to do this to take my game to a higher level.”