Razif Sidek

1.1. Early Life and Education

Born on May 29, 1962, in Banting, Selangor, Malaysia, Mohamed Razif bin Mohd Sidek is the second eldest of the five famous Sidek brothers, all of whom became prominent badminton players. His early exposure to the sport came directly from his father, Haji Mohd Sidek, who not only introduced him and his siblings to badminton but also provided rigorous coaching and prepared them to become champions. Razif attended Victoria Institution, a prestigious school in Malaysia, from 1975 to 1980.

1.2. Family Background and Relationships

Razif married Khalidah Khalid, a former model, in 1984. They have five children, and his youngest son, Mohd Fazriq, has also actively pursued a career in badminton, following in his father's footsteps. Razif became a grandfather in December 2018. The Sidek brothers - Misbun Sidek, Razif, Jalani Sidek, Rahman Sidek, and Rashid Sidek - collectively formed the backbone of the Malaysian national badminton team throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, leaving an indelible mark on the nation's sporting history. In February 2017, Razif publicly refuted rumors circulated on social media concerning his death.

2.1. Early Success and Rise to Prominence

Razif's career began to gain international attention in 1982. At the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane, Australia, he won a gold medal in men's doubles, partnering with Ong Beng Teong. He also secured a bronze medal in men's singles at the same event. Later that year, he and his brother Jalani Sidek made a significant impact by winning the prestigious All England Open Badminton Championships, defeating the Scottish pair Billy Gilliland and Dan Travers. This victory cemented their status as rising stars in the badminton world.

2.2. Partnership with Jalani Sidek

Razif's most successful partnership was with his younger brother, Jalani Sidek. Together, they became one of the dominant men's doubles pairs of their era, winning nearly every major title available, including the World Grand Prix, World Cup, Southeast Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, and Asian Championships.
A unique aspect of their partnership was their innovative "S" service technique. This service, which involved a deceptive and erratic shuttle movement, often disoriented their opponents and even baffled officials. Due to the controversy it generated and its disruptive nature, the "S" service was eventually banned by the International Badminton Federation (IBF).
Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, Razif and Jalani Sidek were consistently ranked among the top four men's doubles pairs globally, competing intensely with other elite duos such as Park Joo-bong and Kim Moon-soo, Rudy Gunawan and Eddy Hartono, and Tian Bingyi and Li Yongbo.

2.3. National Team Contributions

Razif played a crucial role in the Malaysian national badminton squad, contributing to the team's success in major international competitions. He was an integral member of the Malaysian team that achieved a historic victory at the 1992 Thomas Cup in Kuala Lumpur. The team defeated Indonesia 3-2 in a dramatic final at the National Stadium, marking Malaysia's first Thomas Cup triumph in 25 years. Besides this gold medal, Razif also earned silver medals with the national team at the 1988, 1990, and 1994 Thomas Cups, and a bronze medal at the 1986 Thomas Cup. His contributions extended to other team events, including a silver medal at the 1990 Asian Games in the men's team event, and multiple medals at the Southeast Asian Games, securing gold in the men's team event in 1989 and 1991, and silver in 1981, 1983, and 1985.

2.4. Olympic Achievement

In 1992, Mohamed Razif bin Mohd Sidek made history at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. Partnering with Jalani Sidek in the men's doubles category, he became the first Malaysian athlete to win an Olympic medal. They secured a bronze medal for Malaysia after reaching the semi-finals, where they were defeated by the formidable South Korean pair, Park Joo-bong and Kim Moon-soo. This achievement marked a significant milestone for Malaysian sports.

4.1. Olympic Games

Men's doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1992	Pavelló de la Mar Bella, Barcelona, Spain	Malaysia Jalani Sidek	South Korea Kim Moon-soo South Korea Park Joo-bong	11-15, 13-15	Bronze

4.2. World Championships

Men's doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1987	Capital Indoor Stadium, Beijing, China	Malaysia Jalani Sidek	China Li Yongbo China Tian Bingyi	2-15, 15-8, 9-15	Silver
1989	Senayan Sports Complex, Jakarta, Indonesia	Malaysia Jalani Sidek	China Li Yongbo China Tian Bingyi	10-15, 9-15	Bronze

4.3. World Cup

Men's doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1983	Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	Malaysia Jalani Sidek	South Korea Kim Moon-soo South Korea Park Joo-bong	15-10, 5-15, 7-15	Bronze
1984	Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia	Malaysia Jalani Sidek	China Li Yongbo China Tian Bingyi	9-15, 1-15	Bronze
1985	Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia	Malaysia Jalani Sidek	Indonesia Hariamanto Kartono Indonesia Liem Swie King	14-17, 11-15	Bronze
1987	Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	Malaysia Jalani Sidek	China Li Yongbo China Tian Bingyi	6-15, 12-15	Bronze
1988	National Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand	Malaysia Jalani Sidek	China Li Yongbo China Tian Bingyi	Walkover	Silver
1990	Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia	Malaysia Jalani Sidek	Indonesia Rudy Gunawan Indonesia Eddy Hartono	14-17, 15-8, 15-7	Gold
1991	Macau Forum, Macau	Malaysia Jalani Sidek	South Korea Kim Moon-soo South Korea Park Joo-bong	15-18, 15-11, 15-2	Gold

4.4. Asian Games

Men's doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1990	Beijing Gymnasium, Beijing, China	Malaysia Jalani Sidek	China Li Yongbo China Tian Bingyi	5-15, 15-18	Bronze

4.5. Asian Championships

Men's doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1985	Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	Malaysia Jalani Sidek	South Korea Kim Moon-soo South Korea Park Joo-bong	5-15, 15-8, 2-15	Silver
1992	Cheras Indoor Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	Malaysia Jalani Sidek	China Huang Zhanzhong China Zheng Yumin	15-4, 15-6	Gold
1994	Shanghai Gymnasium, Shanghai, China	Malaysia Jalani Sidek	China Chen Hongyong China Chen Kang	8-15, 10-15	Bronze

4.6. Southeast Asian Games

Men's doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1981	Camp Crame Gymnasium, Manila, Philippines	Malaysia Jalani Sidek	Indonesia Rudy Heryanto Indonesia Hariamanto Kartono	12-15, 6-15	Silver
1985	Chulalongkorn University Indoor Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand	Malaysia Jalani Sidek	Indonesia Hariamanto Kartono Indonesia Liem Swie King	6-15, 15-11, 15-5	Gold
1989	Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	Malaysia Jalani Sidek	Indonesia Rudy Gunawan Indonesia Eddy Hartono	11-15, 12-15	Silver
1991	Camp Crame Gymnasium, Manila, Philippines	Malaysia Jalani Sidek	Indonesia Rudy Gunawan Indonesia Eddy Hartono	11-15, 6-15	Silver

4.7. Commonwealth Games

Men's singles

Year	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result
1982	Sleeman Centre, Brisbane, Australia	Canada Keith Priestman	15-8, 15-2	Bronze

Men's doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1982	Sleeman Centre, Brisbane, Australia	Malaysia Ong Beng Teong	England Martin Dew England Nick Yates	15-10, 17-15	Gold
1990	Auckland Badminton Hall, Auckland, New Zealand	Malaysia Jalani Sidek	Malaysia Cheah Soon Kit Malaysia Rashid Sidek	15-8, 15-8	Gold

4.8. IBF World Grand Prix

The World Badminton Grand Prix was sanctioned by the International Badminton Federation (IBF) from 1983 to 2006.

Men's doubles

4.9. IBF International Tournaments

Men's doubles