Former world No. 1 men’s doubles badminton duo Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani have officially denied growing speculation that they are planning to rejoin the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM). Instead, the pair have made it crystal clear—they remain firmly committed to their path as independent professional players.
The rumors began swirling ahead of their appearance at the 2025 China Open in Changzhou, where they return as the defending champions. Some reports had linked the duo with a potential reunion with BAM, specifically to train under the highly regarded Indonesian coach, Herry Iman Pierngadi.
However, Sze Fei was quick to set the record straight. Taking to social media, he issued a strong statement reaffirming the duo’s loyalty to their current coach, Teo Kok Siang, and their determination to continue progressing outside the national setup.
“We would like to clear the air—we are content with our current status as professional shuttlers,” Sze Fei wrote. “Reaching the Japan Open final has given us even more confidence and motivation to keep improving under the guidance of Coach Teo Kok Siang. We are not considering any return to BAM at this point.”
He further emphasized that despite their departure from the national body, their relationship with BAM remains positive.
“We continue to value the support BAM gave us during our time with them, and we hold no ill feelings. But we are focused on building our own path now. We hope these false rumors will finally come to an end.”
BAM Still Open to Cooperation — But No Formal Request Yet
While the idea of a return might be complicated due to their sponsorship deal with Victor, BAM has not closed the door. According to internal sources, BAM remains open to allowing Sze Fei and Izzuddin to train at the Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM) alongside national players, should they express interest. However, as of now, no formal request has been made by the duo.
A Rising Force on the Pro Circuit
Sze Fei and Izzuddin officially left BAM in September 2024, when they were ranked world No. 12. Since then, they’ve enjoyed a strong run on the international circuit, proving that their decision to go independent was a calculated and fruitful move.
Their most notable achievement came when they won the 2024 China Open, marking a historic victory for Malaysian badminton. They didn’t stop there—they added the Arctic Open title to their resume and capped off the year as runners-up at the BWF World Tour Finals in December.
Most recently, at the 2025 Japan Open in Tokyo, they again demonstrated their prowess by finishing as finalists, narrowly missing the title.
Now, as they prepare to begin their China Open title defense, the pair will face a tough opening-round clash against South Korea’s Kang Min-hyuk and Ki Dong-ju. With momentum on their side and the confidence from recent performances, the Malaysian duo is determined to keep pushing boundaries in their pro journey.
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