Update Thursday, July 5
It is learnt that the OCM Executive Board will decide via postal vote on the candidates for the flag bearer for the 2012 London Olympics. The decision has to be made before the flag handing ceremony on July 11. Thus what NSC announced was not reflective of the stand of OCM which has the prerogative to select the flag bearer.
Original posting
The Badminton Association of Malaysia has submitted an appeal to the Olympic Council of Malaysia to pick Lee Chong Wei as the flag bearer at the 2012 London Olympics.
This was confirmed by BAM General Manager Kenny Goh who said that BAM felt that Chong Wei was deserving of the honour and this wanted OCM to study the matter.
" We spoke to Chong Wei and he is willing to be part of the opening ceremony. Hence based on that we felt that he deserves the honor of being the flag bearer," said Kenny.
" We are not disputing the decision of naming another athlete, just that we feel that it will only be appropriate for Chong Wei to be given the recognition as he is one of the most successful and recognizable athletes in Malaysia."
But a new twist seems to have occurred as OCM never made a decision on who the flag bearer was to be and were somewhat caught unawares when NSC Director General Dato Seri Zolkples Embong made the announcement with Chef de Mission Tun Ahmad Sarji last week.
NSC it seems had sent a letter to OCM dated June 26 but delivered June 28 suggesting Pandelela Rinong as the flag bearer.
And 24 hours later an announcement was made at Stadium Juara.
OCM is expected to look into both letters and the pole so as to say is now firmly planted in the yard of OCM President Tunku Tan Sri Imran Tuanku Jaafar.
And added to the mess is the fact that both athletes open their campaign at the Olympics of July 29, two days after the opening ceremony.
The best solution would be for Chong Wei to be the flag bearer at the opening while Pandalela could be the flag bearer at the closing.
By doing that it will appease all factions and above all honor both athletes, both deserving the distinction in their own right.
