PBSI sends 16 badminton players home<\/p>\n
Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) has sent home 16
\nshuttlers and three coaches from its national training center
\nbecause it says they performed poorly in recent badminton
\ntournaments.<\/p>\n
However, several coaches at the center, all who requested
\nanonymity, accused the PBSI of lacking money to send shuttlers to
\nEuropean tournaments. They said Indonesian shuttlers would be
\nbetter prepared if they participated in as many international
\ntournaments as possible.<\/p>\n
Women's singles coach Ivana Lie, men's singles shuttler Taufiq
\nHidayat Akbar of Jakarta and Andre Kurniawan of Central Java are
\namong those who will be sent home this week.<\/p>\n
\"We want to make the center more prestigious so any shuttlers
\nadmitted to the center have to work harder to prove themselves,\"
\nPBSI chairman Sutiyoso said on Saturday while sending shuttlers
\nto the Denmark Open and World Junior Championships in Vancouver,
\nCanada.<\/p>\n
He said the 16 shuttlers had performed poorly during training
\nsession and in local tournaments but did not elaborate on the
\ndetails.<\/p>\n
\"The coaches were the ones who knew their shuttlers better. So
\nwe believe in their judgment,\" Sutiyoso said.<\/p>\n
There are now 49 shuttlers at the center and 14 coaches,
\nincluding women's singles coach Hendrawan, women's doubles coach
\nAtiek Djauhari and men's doubles coach Christian Hadinata.<\/p>\n
Coaches Joko Supriyanto, Herry Imam Pierngadi, Richard
\nMainaky, Sigit Pamungkas, Paulus Firman, Aryono Miranat and
\nOlympic gold medalist Taufik Hidayat's personal coach, Mulyo
\nHandoyo, were also assured of their jobs at the center, he said.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso hoped the PBSI could \"export\" the dropped coaches to
\ncountries that had started to develop badminton such as the
\nUnited States, Australia and New Zealand.<\/p>\n
However, the idea was opposed by Ivana who said that she would
\nrather find a coaching job in Indonesia than abroad. \"I'd rather
\nstay here since I have been brought up here.\"<\/p>\n
She also criticized the PBSI for dismissing her from the
\ncenter without any reasons or feedback.<\/p>\n
\"They (PBSI officials) told me yesterday (Friday) that I would
\nnot be in the team any more but they didn't give me any reason.<\/p>\n
\"They should have explained why they thought my performance
\nwas bad. Was it because the women's team failed in the Uber Cup?
\nIf that is the reason, why is it only me? The men's team also
\nfailed in the Thomas Cup,\" Ivana said.<\/p>\n
PBSI officials hope six Indonesian shuttlers will reach the
\nfinal at the Denmark Open in Aarhus, Denmark, from Oct. 5 to Oct.
\n10. They are Olympic bronze medalist Sony Dwi Kuncoro, Simon
\nSantoso, world No. 7 men's pair Luluk Hadiyanto\/Alven Yulianto
\nand the junior pair of Markis Kidho\/Hendra Setiawan.<\/p>\n
PBSI development affairs head Icuk Sugiarto said since the
\nPBSI had limited the number of players competing in international
\nevents, \"the (players), especially the seniors, should reach the
\nfinal round.\"<\/p>\n
Joko predicted Sony would be able to reach the semifinals but
\nSimon might only reach the quarterfinals.<\/p>\n
\"My prediction is based on their experience in international
\nevents. The target is reasonable,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Sony, third seeded in the tournament, will first face Jesper
\nSkau Madsen of Denmark, while Simon meets another Dane, Jens-
\nKristian Leth.<\/p>\n
The PBSI had planned to send 21 shuttlers to the German and
\nDanish opens but suddenly withdrew 15 players and had to pay a
\nUS$3,750 penalty fee to the International Badminton Federation.<\/p>\n
The association said the shuttlers would have to focus more on
\nAsian tournaments such as China Open in November.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso said he wanted the shuttlers to \"understand that it's
\ndifficult to compete in international tournaments, so they have
\nto fight with each other (to win a place in the tournament)
\nfirst\".<\/p>",
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