KUALA LUMPUR: The future of Malaysian men's doubles Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong will only be decided at the Coaching and Training (C&T) committee meeting next week stressed BA of Malaysia (BAM) president Datuk Seri Norza Zakaria.
However the writing is on the wall that the former world No 1 pair will be split for good.
V Shem-Wee Kiong, who were paired in 2014 prior to the Thomas Cup in New Delhi had come under fire following a disappointing year. The second round exit at the World Championships in Glasgow last month proving to be the final nail in the coffin.
It is learnt that the 2016 Rio Olympic Games silver medallists have been struggling to keep their partnership alive, citing personal differences as the main factor.
Since the start of the year, the reigning World Super Series Finals champions had failed to clear the quarter-final stage hurdle in all competitions.
And to add to the speculations, V Shem-Wee Kiong have been withdrawn from the ongoing Korea Open and the Japan Open next week.
Just last week, V Shem came out and spoke about how he is ready to move on, while Wee Kiong traveled to Vietnam to hold talks with national men's doubles head coach Cheah Soon Kit.
It is still unclear as to who will be the duo’s new partners, but word has it that Malaysia Masters runners-up Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani would be scratched to partner their seniors.
Former internationals Lee Wan Wah and Koo Kien Keat, have suggested for the troubled pair to sort out their issues, but after countless chances, there seems to be no turning back.
It would be interesting to see what the national body comes out of this predicament, as one of the target listed in the 2017-2020 blueprint is to win the Thomas Cup next year.
BAM technical director Morten Frost had made it clear that Malaysia must have at least two top 10 pairs to realise that dream, but with the split imminent, the national team will have to make do with world No 20 Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi for the time being.
Apart from reaching the Olympic finals last year and winning the Denmark Open crown, V Shem-Wee Kiong also won gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games (Glasgow) and the bronze medal at the Incheon Asian Games the same year.