ZCZC
BSP-18
BADMINTON-MAS-SMOKING
No smoke without ire for Malaysian badminton player
KUALA LUMPUR, June 14, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – A Malaysian badminton player has
been heavily fined for smoking during a tournament, officials said, in the
latest untoward incident to hit the sport in the country.
Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin, 28, was fined 50 percent of his monthly
allowance for lighting up in his hotel room during last month’s Thomas Cup in
Bangkok, where Malaysia crashed out in the quarter-finals.
He also had to pay the hotel’s fine of 3,000 baht (about $93) for
violating its no-smoking rules, Malaysian reports said.
Iskandar, who is 50th in the men’s singles world rankings, was brought
before the Badminton Association of Malaysia’s (BAM) disciplinary committee
on June 1.
“The committee sanctioned Iskandar Zulkarnain a one-time 50 percent fine of
his monthly allowance,” the BAM’s disciplinary committee said in a statement
on Wednesday, without revealing the amount of the fine.
The statement added that all players will now go through nicotine testing
“from time to time”, warning of severe repercussions for anyone who tests
positive. Malaysian players are forbidden from gambling or smoking.
Iskandar’s punishment comes a month after two players were hit with
decades-long bans for match-fixing and corruption.
Zulfadli Zulkiffli, 25, a former world junior champion who was banned for
20 years, has since appealed the decision.
BSS/AFP/RY/1540 hrs