Kuala Lumpur – March 24, 2025 — Malaysia’s top men’s singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia has officially received ranking protection status from the Badminton World Federation (BWF), ensuring that his current world ranking of No. 9 remains intact during his injury recovery.
The announcement was made by Team LZJ, Lee’s personal management team, via an official statement on social media earlier today.
“After careful consideration and professional medical advice, Team LZJ applied for BWF ranking protection to allow Lee Zii Jia to continue his recovery from a recurring right ankle ligament injury,” the statement read.
Will Miss 2025 Badminton Asia Championships (BAC)
As a result of the ranking freeze, Lee Zii Jia will skip the 2025 Badminton Asia Championships (BAC), set to take place in Ningbo, China from April 8–13. His absence is intended to facilitate uninterrupted rehabilitation and to avoid aggravating the injury that resurfaced during the recent All England campaign.
“We assure fans that we are doing everything possible to support Zii Jia’s rehabilitation and training. His return to competitive badminton will be determined based on his recovery timeline,” Team LZJ added.
Injury Timeline and BWF Rules
Lee suffered the initial ligament injury during the group stage of the 2024 BWF World Tour Finals in Hangzhou. Although he made his comeback at the Orléans Masters earlier this month, the injury flared up again at the All England Open, prompting his team to act swiftly.
Under BWF regulations, players who are sidelined by injury or illness for a period between three and 12 months may apply for a protected ranking. Once approved, the player’s world ranking at the time of injury is preserved, allowing them to enter BWF World Tour events based on their protected seeding once they return.
However, the ranking protection is valid only during the actual recovery period or up to a maximum of 12 months.
Stay tuned for more badminton news and updates on Lee Zii Jia’s comeback, injury status, and future tournament entries. 🏸
