PETALING JAYA: Seemingly out of nowhere, men’s singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia sparked concern among badminton fans after posting a series of disturbing images on his Instagram account.

The post featured 10 illustrations, including one of a faceless, stitched-up figure holding a long, blood-stained needle. Another image showed a person lying on a sofa with sharp objects piercing their body and an exposed brain.

The unsettling content left many fans worried about the 27-year-old’s mental and emotional state, especially as he continues to recover from a foot injury.

Zii Jia has only competed in two tournaments this year, the Orleans Masters and the All-England in March before announcing a long break to focus on recovery.

His world ranking has since dropped to No. 27, but he has applied for a protected ranking from the Badminton World Federation (BWF) to safeguard his position during the layoff.