KUALA LUMPUR, May 13 — Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) psychologist Frederick Tan is set to introduce a new programme specially designed to help shuttlers bound for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, which kicks off July 26-August 11.

Frederick said he will likely roll out the new programme following the conclusion of the 2024 Indonesia Open, which is scheduled to take place in Jakarta from June 4 to 9.

While he didn’t disclose the specifics of the "magic potion” he plans to employ, Frederick said he will collaborate with Akademi Badminton Malaysia’s coaching director Rexy Mainaky to fine-tune the details before putting it into action.

"Olympic Games is totally different from Thomas and Uber Cup, Asian Games, SEA Games or even World Championships. Therefore, I need to devise a new programme specifically catered to shuttlers need for Paris 2024.

"The programme will be implemented after the Indonesia Open and stretch before the shuttlers leave for Paris,” he said when met recently.

In the meantime, Frederick hoped that the programme will yield positive results, drawing from his successful initiatives at the recent Thomas Cup 2024 in Chengdu, China.

During the Chengdu meet, Frederick implemented nightly pep talks and distributed personalised notes of encouragement to each player’s room.

"I can sense that something has changed in terms of team spirit in Thomas Cup. It seems like that they totally enjoyed my programme for Chengdu,” he said.

Indeed, Frederick’s strategies had a significant impact on the team’s performance, culminating in their first Thomas Cup semi-final appearance in eight years.

However, their journey was halted by the hosts and eventual champions, China, with a 1-3 defeat, in the semi-finals.

Malaysia secured their spot in the last four by defeating the 2014 champions, Japan, 3-1, in the quarter-finals.

Malaysia began their Thomas Cup Group D campaign with 5-0 wins over Hong Kong and Algeria but failed to top the group after losing 2-3 to 2016 champions and European powerhouse, Denmark. — Bernama