Malaysian badminton star Lee Zii Jia clinched the bronze medal at the 2024 Olympics after a grueling three-set match. Following his victory, Lee made a “shush” gesture, which quickly became a hot topic online.
In a post-match interview, Lee explained that the gesture was a celebration inspired by his favorite football player, Marcus Rashford.
“As a Manchester United fan, this is Rashford’s celebration style. It also serves as a reminder to myself to stay focused and let my actions speak louder than words,” Lee said.
‘Did he plan in advance?’
Despite this explanation, a Malaysian ex-radio DJ named Lee took to the social media platform Threads to mock Lee’s gesture, questioning if it was premeditated.
“Did he plan this gesture in advance? If so, it’s quite busy,” she wrote.
Her comments sparked backlash, with many netizens flooding her social media accounts, demanding a public apology for her remarks.
However, Lee has yet to respond to the controversy at press time.
Receives backlash online
Many netizens have also taken to the comment section to criticize her for her remarks.
‘Who are you? Have you brought any glory to Malaysia on the international stage? Lee Zii Jia won the match and can celebrate however he wants. If you can’t support him, at least don’t put him down. If you’re so great, why don’t you compete yourself?
‘Although I’m not Malaysian, seeing Lee Zii Jia win a bronze medal and not look very happy, and even cry in the post-match interview, makes me wonder how much pressure he’s under. He didn’t even dare to celebrate. Now I know it’s because of people like you!’
‘You’re a host, a radio DJ, a public figure. It’s fine if you don’t support the national team, but why speak against your own country’s athlete? Are you that great? What have you contributed to the country? I’m not even a Lee Zii Jia fan, but I feel compelled to speak up. The best thing you can do is delete your post. Thank you.’
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