Christian back to coaching Badminton<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI)
\nofficial in charge of athletes' development, Mangombar Ferdinand
\nSiregar, denied rumors which said national training director
\nChristian Hadinata would resign from his post.<\/p>\n
\"It's not true. Christian will just focus his attention on
\ncoaching the men's doubles because it's the only event we have a
\nchance to win a gold in the 2000 Olympics,\" Siregar said in a
\ntelephone interview.<\/p>\n
Reports said on Tuesday that Christian would resign due to
\ndisappointment over PBSI chairman Subagyo Hadisiswoyo, who often
\nused his veto rights to disapprove of Christian's training
\nprograms.<\/p>\n
But Christian himself said he wanted to only focus on the
\nmen's doubles training.<\/p>\n
Siregar said Christian would be replaced either by himself or
\ndeputy Hadi Nasri until the Olympics 2000.<\/p>\n
\"Can you imagine if we fail to win a gold in the Olympics,\" he
\nsaid, referring to Indonesia's shameful failure in the Sudirman
\nCup and World Championships in Copenhagen where none of the
\nnational shuttlers reached the semifinals.<\/p>\n
Christian, a former doubles specialist, had contributed a
\ngreat deal to the 1996 Olympics gold when his athletes Ricky
\nSubagja and Rexy Mainaky beat Malaysians Cheah Soon Kit and Yap
\nKim Hock in a thrilling deciding game final. He also partnered
\nCandra Wijaya and Sigit Budiarto who beat the same Malaysian
\npairs of Cheah and Yap in the 1997 World Championships.<\/p>\n
Christian said his position as training director made it
\ndifficult to make a decision on the men's doubles because other
\ncoaches from other events would consider him subjective.<\/p>\n
\"I just want to be objective,\" he said.<\/p>\n
But Herry Imam Pierngadi and Sigit Pamungkas have been
\ncoaching the men's doubles since Christian was appointed director
\nin December 1997.<\/p>\n
Siregar said PBSI could not rely on Herry due to his lack of
\nexperience.<\/p>\n
\"We used to have Atiek (Djauhari) who was also experienced to
\nhelp Christian. But Herry was too young to prepare athletes for
\nthe biggest event,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Atiek resigned from PBSI last year and moved to Malmo, Sweden,
\nwhere he is responsible for the Swedish national team.<\/p>\n
Siregar said Christian had to make his priorities on which
\ndoubles team to concentrate on to qualify for the 2000 Olympics.<\/p>\n
\"We already have the 1999 All England champion Candra Wijaya
\nand Tony Gunawan and new partnerships of Flandy Limpele and Eng
\nHian. But we are still looking for the third pair. We have the
\n1996 Olympics Ricky and Rexy and old hands Antonius and Denny
\nKantono,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Another pair preparing to qualify for the Olympics is Sigit
\nBudiarto and new partner Halim Heryanto. Sigit was banned from
\ncompetition until Nov. 16 due to involvement in using the banned
\nsubstance of nandrolone.<\/p>\n
Siregar said he had contacted physical trainer Tahir Djide to
\nprepare the shuttlers' physical condition. He had also requested
\nthe National Sports Council (KONI) chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar
\nto provide experts in psychology, nutrition and other aspects to
\nsupport the Olympics program.(yan)<\/p>",
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