Zii Jia turns down RTG offer, citing recovery from injury

PETALING JAYA: Men’s singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia has decided not to accept the offer to be included in the Road to Gold (RTG) programme.

Zii Jia decided not to be part of RTG leading up to the 2024 Paris Olympics and has stuck to his initial stance ahead of the next edition in 2028 in Los Angeles.

The 27-year-old independent player, who won bronze in the Paris Games, said this in a statement on social media through Team LZJ on Tuesday (June 10).

“After much consideration, we have decided not to take up the offer to be included in the Road to Gold programme,” it read.

“RTG is a programme reserved for the best of the best in the country and since Zii Jia is still recovering from his injury, we feel that the appropriate assistance from the programme should be given to his peers who are more deserving at this moment in time.

“Although Zii Jia will not be a part of the RTG programme, we deeply value the opportunity… and we would like to express our sincerest appreciation and gratitude to the RTG committee especially to outh and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh as well as RTG coordinator Datuk Stuart Ramalingam for taking the time to meet Zii Jia personally.”

Zii Jia is recovering from a right ankle ligament injury sustained during the World Tour Finals in December and is targeting a comeback in the Japan Open from July 15-20 in Tokyo.