00:00 World No. 11 men's singles badminton player Li Zijia will not be part of the Road to Gold
00:08 program.
00:09 The secretariat for the program said in a statement on Tuesday that they had met online
00:13 with Li's team, and it was concluded that Li will not proceed with the program.
00:19 The 25-year-old is the first athlete to turn down an offer to join the program at a time
00:23 when many others are trying to get in.
00:26 Those under the program enjoy benefits such as monthly allowances, sports science support
00:31 and use of facilities.
00:33 The statement said Li's coaches and manager explained in the meeting that the decision
00:37 was made after careful consideration.
00:40 Li's team, however, gave their assurance that they will continue to work with all stakeholders
00:45 in the lead-up to the Paris Olympic Games next year.
00:49 If the 2021 All-England champion can maintain his world ranking in the top 16 by the end
00:55 of April next year, he is assured of a ticket to compete in Paris.
00:59 [END]
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