KUALA LUMPUR: Associate Professor Dr Muhammad Fazril Razif may not have followed his famous father's badminton footsteps, but the academician has not ignored sports.
Dr Fazril, 37, who is a biochemistry lecturer at the department of molecular medicine at Universiti Malaya, remembers how he used to attend training during his primary school days.
When his father, Datuk Razif Sidek, who was a world class doubles player with (brother) Datuk Seri Jalani Sidek, sent him to boarding school in Australia when he was 14, Fazril's badminton dream ended.
However, his passion for fitness has never wavered as he and a group of friends launched the Chrome Club fitness centre in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
Despite Razif's stellar badminton career (he captained Malaysia to their last Thomas Cup triumph in 1992), Fazril said that his father advised him to focus on studies.
"When I was in primary school, my dad sent me to badminton training, but he also saw that I was doing quite well in studies. He said a sportsman's life is tough," recalled Dr Fazril.
"He told me to continue with studies and have another career. That's how I was sent off to Australia at the age of 14 where I completed my education and also earned a PhD.
"I'm a biochemistry lecturer in UM's medical faculty, but I have always continued to be involved in fitness training.
"I was very happy to see my dad training those days and I can do something like that.
"Initially, I became a certified instructor and four years on, I joined several other coaches to form the Chrome Club.
"Obesity is a huge concern in our country. My goal is to make Malaysians fall in love with exercise and a healthy lifestyle.
"Possibly, Malaysia has the most obese community in Asia and that's scary. The idea is to exercise and still be able to enjoy the food we like with a good balance."
Dr Fazril's younger brother, Fazriq, 20, is also a doubles player who currently partners Bryan Goonting.
Razif is happy to see both of them still actively involved in sports and trying to make an impact.
"I'm proud to see Fazril being extremely active in sports although he has not become a badminton player," said Razif.
"He's involved in an important aspect of sports. Fitness is fundamental to all athletes, but also important for all of us to lead a healthy life.
"Since Fazriq is involved in badminton, he can also drop by Chrome Club to have some special fitness programme to help his performance."
Razif believes that Dr Fazril would succeed in spreading his philosophy of turning fitness into an enjoyable activity at the Chrome Club.