We all have different opinions about sports jerseys. However, one element of the outfit that can’t be taken lightly is the flag of the represented country. This belief is why national shuttler Lee Zii Jia (李梓嘉) and sportswear brand VICTOR Malaysia are currently facing backlash from Malaysians.
The men’s singles player recently faced off against Taiwan’s Chou Tien-Chen (周天成) in the BWF World Tour Finals group stage match. During an intermission in the second set, Lee Zii Jia changed out of his jersey into a new one. However, the Malaysian flag on the new jersey was printed upside down, sparking outrage amongst netizens. Many see this as a disrespectful gesture and urged the jersey’s sponsor, VICTOR Malaysia, to explain the issue.
The sportswear brand has since apologised for their mistake in a public statement. In the letter, VICTOR Malaysia expressed deep regret for the misprint, saying, “This mistake does not reflect our deep respect for Malaysia, its national symbols, or the pride and honour of representing the nation on the international stage. The Malaysian flag embodies unity and identity, and we deeply regret any unintended disrespect caused by this oversight.”
VICTOR Malaysia also said that it is conducting a thorough review of its manufacturing processes so that such mistakes will not occur again. Many Malaysians have since reacted to the statement, showing mixed reactions. While some accepted the apology, urging the company to be more alert in their manufacturing, others argued that such a mistake shouldn’t have happened in the first place, given the importance of the flag.
Lee Zii Jia has yet to address this issue – but it’s worth noting that most of the public’s criticism was directed towards VICTOR Malaysia. In the meantime, the badminton player won against his opponent, scoring a 21-13, 21-15 win. What are your thoughts on this issue?
