Olympic medallist Aaron Chia has dismissed rumors that he and doubles partner Soh Wooi Yik demanded RM2 million per year to remain on the national team. Reports suggested that some prominent players were making similar demands to the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) with speculation focused on the nation’s top three pairs: Aaron-Wooi Yik, Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah and Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei.
Aaron firmly denied these claims after a training session on Tuesday, reiterating his and Wooi Yik’s commitment to the national team through the 2028 Olympics. “A rumour is just that—a rumour. We’ve already signed our agreement,” Aaron clarified, adding that they have no knowledge of who might be involved in such demands. Despite recent challenges following their Olympic bronze, Aaron-Wooi Yik remain focused on improving their performance as they approach year-end tournaments.
The pair, aiming to regain momentum, have had mixed results recently, reaching the last 16 at the Arctic Open and the quarterfinals at the Denmark Open. Their upcoming competitions include the Korea Masters, Kumamoto Masters and China Masters where they hope to secure enough ranking points to break into the top eight of the Race to Hangzhou standings and qualify for the World Tour Finals in December.
Before these critical tournaments, Aaron and Wooi Yik will participate in the Bdmntn-XL Invitational in Jakarta from Oct 31 to Nov 3. In this mixed-field event, Aaron will join Team Hurricanes while Wooi Yik plays for Team Lightning. The tournament features five matches per tie: men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles and a unique 3v3 format in place of mixed doubles.
Competing for a US$1 million prize pool, the invitational will showcase top players like Viktor Axelsen, Kunlavut Vitidsarn, Lee Yong Dae and Greysia Polii. Aaron expressed excitement for the event’s innovative setup, calling it ideal preparation for his upcoming tournaments and a chance to bring elite players together in a relaxed environment.
