At his first personal inspirational live talk, Beyond Greatness, Malaysia’s badminton icon reflects on retirement, family and life beyond the court
PETALING JAYA, 25 OCTOBER 2026 — For nearly two decades, Malaysians watched Dato’ Seri Dr. Lee Chong Wei make history on the badminton court. But at Beyond Greatness, audiences discovered a more personal side of the national sporting legend, beyond the medals, victories and World No. 1 ranking.
Presented by AISEE LIFE and held at idea Live Arena, Petaling Jaya, on Saturday evening, the two-hour programme brought together a hall full of fans, friends, and supporters to hear Lee Chong Wei’s story beyond badminton. Combining personal reflections, specially produced interview films and on-stage conversations, the evening explored the experiences that shaped him on and off the court.
Across four chapters, the evening traced his journey from the demands of representing Malaysia to adjusting to retirement and finding new ways to contribute to the sport.
Finding Purpose After Badminton
After 19 years with the national team, Lee Chong Wei described how retirement gave him time to focus on his health and reconnect with his family. The evening also revisited his cancer diagnosis in 2018 and retirement in June 2019, a turning point that required him to reconsider life beyond competition.
In one of the evening’s most emotional moments, Lee Chong Wei was moved to tears as he recalled his cancer treatment journey, the difficult decision to step away from professional badminton and the unwavering support of his family throughout that period.
“Badminton had been my life for so many years, so making the decision to retire was never easy. But through everything I went through, my family, especially my wife was always there for me. Their support meant more than anything,” he shared.
While his career included three consecutive Olympic silver medals and 349 weeks as world No. 1, he reflected on the daily effort behind those achievements. He recalled the discipline of maintaining his training routine while travelling and the pressure of carrying the country’s hopes at major tournaments.
He credited Malaysians’ support with helping him turn that pressure into motivation, while emphasising the responsibility he felt to give his best in every match. “People may see me as a legend, but I have never thought of myself as someone great. I am just an ordinary person who loves badminton, works hard and keeps moving forward,” he reflected.
Giving Back to Malaysian Badminton
That sense of responsibility continues to shape his involvement in the sport. Appointed Chairman of the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM)’s Performance Committee in October 2025, Lee Chong Wei is drawing on his experience to support the development of national players.
Through the Lee Chong Wei Cup, he also hopes to give more young Malaysians opportunities to compete, gain experience and develop their potential. Building on the initiative, he said he would explore local and international junior competitions in 2027 to give promising players more exposure.
From Inspiration to Impact
For AISEE LIFE, the event was an opportunity to connect audiences with the experiences behind a familiar national figure and encourage them to apply those lessons in their own lives.
Cisee Tan, Founder and Group CEO of AISEE LIFE, said the initiative was conceived to bring meaningful life experiences closer to Malaysians and encourage individuals to translate inspiration into positive action.
“Lee Chong Wei’s story reminds us that greatness is not just about what we achieve, but also how we overcome challenges and what we choose to do with our experiences. Through Beyond Greatness, we hope to inspire more people to take that next step in their own lives.”
The evening brought the event’s message into focus through Lee Chong Wei’s own experience: finding purpose in time with family, caring for his health and helping younger players pursue their ambitions.
