Only 3 entries for Junior Indonesia Open<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Only Japan, Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam have
\nconfirmed their participation in badminton's Milo Junior
\nIndonesia Open in Surakarta, West Java, this month.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile Russia, Hong Kong and Canada have yet to submit the
\nnames of their players.<\/p>\n
The event's organizer PT Gematama Kreasindo president director
\nMinarni Soedarjanto told a press conference on Friday that the
\nthree countries were concerned about Indonesia's tense political
\nsituation, especially after the House of Representatives called
\non the People's Consultative Assembly to hold a special session,
\nscheduled for Aug. 1, to demand that President Abdurrahman Wahid
\naccount for his administration's performance.<\/p>\n
\"Russia, Hong Kong and Canada are afraid to come here. I even
\nspoke to Badminton Association of Thailand chairman Charoen
\nWattanasin, who said he might not send a team due to the tension.<\/p>\n
\"Even Chinese Taipei, which had confirmed, had to cancel their
\nparticipation because they had problems requesting visas,\" she
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Minarni, a badminton star in the 1960s, also said that
\nbadminton powerhouses China, South Korea and Denmark would not
\nsend their teams for the June 12 to 16 event.<\/p>\n
\"We have offered the Badminton Association of China airplane
\ntickets and accommodation but they still don't want to come.\"<\/p>\n
However, Minarni was still hoping that more countries would be
\nwilling to participate, and said that she would wait for
\nconfirmation before the drawing takes place on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Indonesian Badminton Center junior coach Joko
\nSuprianto said that the absence of badminton powerhouses would
\ngive his athletes a great chance of winning the US$9,000 event.<\/p>\n
\"With the absence of the strong countries, our shuttlers
\nshould be able to prove their skills by winning the titles. But
\nwe must also realize that the absence of those countries will
\nreduce the event's prestige,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Joko also said the tournament would be used to select a team
\nfor the Junior Asian Championships, to be held in Taipei in
\nAugust.<\/p>\n
\"We are also aiming to pick the best mixed and boys doubles to
\njoin the team from the tournament as we no longer have juniors in
\nboth events at the center,\" Joko said.<\/p>\n
Joko praised Milo and the Badminton Association of Indonesia
\n(PBSI) for staging the event after a four-year dormancy.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's number one junior shuttler Sonny Dwi Kuncoro -- a
\n2000 Junior World Championships and 2000 Junior Asian
\nChampionships finalist -- hoped to be able to win the boys title.<\/p>\n
\"Playing before the home crowd will give me an advantage and I
\nwill work hard to fulfill my aim to become champion,\" he said.<\/p>\n
PT Nestle Indonesia's beverage vice president Muhammed Hamza
\nalso hoped that the event would produce future champions for
\nIndonesia and help promote badminton in general.<\/p>\n
\"We also aim to be associated with badminton through a long-
\nterm sponsorship deal,\" he added. (yan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/only-3-entries-for-junior-indonesia-open-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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