MRI scan will be done to determine extent of Pearly's injury - ISN

KUALA LUMPUR - The National Sports Institute (ISN) will conduct an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scan to determine the extent of the injury sustained by the national badminton women's doubles player, Pearly Tan, in the second round of the 2022 Japan Open on Thursday.

ISN Chief Executive Officer Ahmad Faedzal Md Ramli said the MRI scan on Pearly will be done after the player arrives from Japan in a day or two.

"So far the information that we have obtained from our side in Japan is that the injury is in the knee and is likely to be related to other parts.

"It is not possible to confirm whether she suffered an ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injury because only through MRI scanning and further examination we can know the extent of the injury," he said when met after the introduction ceremony of the sponsors of the 20th Malaysia Games (Sukma) here, yesterday.

Pearly's injury saw her end her fight with her partner M. Thinaah when they faced South Korean pair Baek Ha Na-Lee Yu Lim in the second round of the tournament held at the Maruzen Intec Arena, Osaka.

After trailing 11-16 in the deciding set, Pearly decided to withdraw and left the court in a wheelchair in tears as the South Koreans advanced to the quarter-finals.

In the meantime, Ahmad Faedzal said that national women's squash player, S. Sivasangari, who was injured after being involved in a road accident last June, has shown positive development when he met her last week.

"Psychologically, she's very positive, so far she is following the recovery process well," he added.

As such, he said ISN together with the National Sports Council (MSN) and the Squash Racket Association of Malaysia (SRAM) will continue to look into the form of assistance Sivasangari needs to ensure that the player can return to the court in a ready state soon. - BERNAMA