BIRMINGHAM, March 3- The Malaysian national badminton squad has successfully arrived in the United Kingdom for the prestigious All England Championships, narrowly escaping the aviation paralysis currently gripping the Middle East.
Key athletes, including top doubles pairs Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah and Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei, transitioned through Dubai International Airport on Saturday. Their timely departure from Kuala Lumpur allowed them to clear the region just hours before military strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran forced a total suspension of flight operations at the Emirati hub.
Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) coaching director Rexy Mainaky confirmed the team experienced a seamless transit, avoiding the fate of international stars like India’s P.V. Sindhu, who remains reportedly stranded in Dubai. BAM Secretary-General Datuk Kenny Goh stated that the association is maintaining constant communication with the players to monitor their safety and mental well-being ahead of the tournament.
While the national team traveled smoothly, professional mixed doubles player Lim Chiew Sien endured an extraordinary 25-hour odyssey to reach the venue. Fearing for her safety amid the escalating war crisis, Chiew Sien abandoned her original Dubai-transit flight scheduled for Sunday morning.
Instead, she secured a last-minute ticket via Shanghai to London’s Gatwick Airport at a personal cost of RM10,000. Her journey concluded with a four-hour bus ride from London to Birmingham. “I was worried about my safety due to the Middle East crisis,” Chiew Sien remarked upon her arrival on Monday afternoon.
Despite the geopolitical uncertainty, the Malaysian contingent remains committed to its busy European circuit. Following the All England, several pairs including Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and the independent duo Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin are scheduled to return home. Other shuttlers will proceed directly to the Swiss Open in Basel (March 10–15) and the Orleans Masters in France (March 17–22).
