BAM Appoint Ex-National Shuttler Iskandar Zainuddin As Singles Coach
KUALA LUMPUR, June 30 (Bernama) -- Former national men's singles player Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin has returned to the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM), this time as a singles coach.
The appointment of the 33-year-old Iskandar Zulkarnain was announced by BAM president Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz at a press conference at Akademi Badminton Malaysia here today.
“Iskandar Zulkarnain will begin his duties on Oct 1. Negotiations were ongoing and finally last week we managed to finalise and he will be coming back from Ireland,” he said.
Previously, the media reported that BAM had offered Iskandar Zulkarnain a spot in the national coaching set-up.
The matter was confirmed by Iskandar Zulkarnain himself, although he had not yet known the position he would be taking up.
For the record, Iskandar Zulkarnain, who was runner-up at the 2016 Malaysia Masters, began serving as a full-time coach for Ireland’s badminton squad in 2022 and successfully guided men’s singles player Nhat Nguyen to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Prior to that, he had been a training partner to Nguyen in preparation for major tournaments.
Meanwhile, BAM Singles Coaching Director Kenneth Jonassen expressed confidence in Iskandar's ability to steer the development of women's singles.
“We are pleased to welcome Iskandar back to BAM in this important role. His international coaching stint, combined with his background as a national player, brings a valuable blend of experience and perspective.
"Our Women’s Singles squad is in a crucial phase of transition, and we believe Iskandar is the right person to guide the players, helping them build belief and resilience while pushing for consistent performances on the world stage,” he said.
Sharing his enthusiasm about the new role, Iskandar said: “It feels great to return to BAM-not as a player this time, but as a coach ready to give back. My journey in Ireland taught me so much, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to apply those lessons here.
“I see potential in our Women’s Singles players, and my focus will be on building their confidence, sharpening their tactical and physical awareness, and supporting them to break through at the international level.
“I would like to thank BAM for the trust and opportunity-it means a lot to be able to contribute to the sport I love, in the place where it all began for me,” he said.
-- BERNAMA
