KUALA LUMPUR: Despite being distressed by the recent social media attacks on him and his family, independent shuttler Soong Joo Ven is determined to soldier on at the Orleans Masters, before deciding on his next course of action.
The 28-year-old became the latest victim of cyber bullying following his exit in the qualifying rounds of the Spain Masters last week.
Not only was the former national shuttler accused of fixing matches, he and his family members were also threatened with vile remarks and sexual violence.
So traumatic was the experience that the Selangor-born shuttler tweeted: "This is the reason why sometimes I'm scared of Instagram. Some people will curse and swear on you and your family, which is ridiculous."
A concerned Youth and Sports Minister, Hannah Yeoh reiterated on Tuesday that the newly enacted Safe Sports Code will deal with the matter, and it will be referred to the police if criminal element was involved.
Joo Ven, however, does not want to dwell on the issue just yet, as he wants to focus on the ongoing Orleans Masters.
Troubled by injuries and a poor run in form, Joo Ven told Timesport: "I'm saddened and disappointed with what has happened, but I will look into it after the Orleans Masters. I cannot afford to be distracted by this right now.
"To be honest, I felt like throwing in the towel, but the draw here (Orleans) seems favourable, so I want to give it a shot."
On Tuesday, Academy Badminton Malaysia high performance director Dr Tim Jones also talked about the good and bad of social media.
This comes in the light of recent comments made by Malaysian players which has since gone viral, as well as the online abuse suffered by Joo Ven.