GIVEN the global Covid-19 pandemic, it is difficult to keep athletes motivated with few tournaments available.
As a result, BAM have decided to send some of their junior shuttlers to the ongoing Slovenia International and Austrian Open next week.
While the national body have not set any specific targets for the juniors, they hope to see the juniors do well to boost their morale.
"We did not set any targets for them because realistically, they have not played in any international tournament for more than a year.
"It's very hard to keep players motivated if they do not play in tournaments.
"One of our objectives is to fast track these young players, and that is why we decided to send them to Europe. Bear in mind that there are also no junior tournaments right now.
"If they do well, it will boost their morale. At this moment in time, we can only plan things one step at a time," said BAM Development Committee chairman Datuk Ng C hin Chai.
Yesterday, the qualifying round of the Slovenia International got underway in Maribor.
In the mixed doubles, Goh Boon Zhe-Cheng Su Yin reached the main draw after clearing two qualifying round matches.
In the first match, the Malaysian pair saw off Austria's Michael Tomic-Karoline Pottendorfer 21-9, 21-12 before defeating Slovenia's Domen Lonzarič-Marusa Vračar 21-18, 21-17.
In a men's doubles qualifying match, Fazriq Razif-Justin Hoh defeated Hungary's Zoltan Kereszti-Balazs Papai 21-7, 21-12.
Meanwhile in the Spain Masters, Cheam June Wei made easy work of Denmark's Jeppe Bruun with a 21-9, 21-11 win in the men's singles first round. June Wei will face eighth seed Felix Burestedt next.
However, Leong Jun Hao failed to clear the first round, going down 21-16, 16-21, 21-23 to Germany's Max Weisskirchen.
