Seven more shuttlers leave national camp<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI)
\nsecretary-general, Leo Chandra Wiranata, announced on Wednesday
\nthat seven more shuttlers had resigned from the Indonesian
\nBadminton Center.<\/p>\n
This follows the resignation of the 1995 world champion,
\nHariyanto Arbi.<\/p>\n
Men's singles players Irwansyah and Vidre Wibowo and doubles
\nspecialists Hermono Yuwono, Imam Tohari and Rizal Fadillah were
\nearlier expelled from the center.<\/p>\n
Men's doubles competitor Denny Kantono resigned due to age but
\nwill still help the association as a practice partner while Ade
\nLukas plans to move to different country. Ade said earlier he was
\noffered the position of practice partner with the Swedish
\nnational team.<\/p>\n
\"Some of the athletes returned to their clubs. But they will
\nstill receive what is rightfully theirs, including prize money or
\ncontracts with Yonex. The expulsion is effective from today,\" Leo
\nsaid. Yonex, the Japan-based sports equipment, signs a four-year
\ncontract with PBSI worths US$1.1 million per year.<\/p>\n
Hariyanto had said earlier that he resigned due to his
\nstagnant performance and a prolonged injury.<\/p>\n
PBSI has also warned eight players: men's singles competitors
\nJeffer Rosobin and Yudi Suprayogi; women's doubles players
\nAngelina de Pauw, Puspa Dewi and Eny Widowati; and men's doubles
\nplayers Santoso Sugiharjo, Andreas and Hadi Saputra.<\/p>\n
Some of them were warned due to their stagnant performance in
\ninternational tournaments while others were cautioned over
\nundisciplined behavior. They were given a deadline of December to
\nimprove their achievements and behavior.<\/p>\n
\"Should there be no changes in December, the eight shuttlers
\nwill be expelled, as stated by the PBSI official in charge of
\nathletes development, (Mangombar Ferdinand Siregar),\" Leo said.<\/p>\n
ABC<\/p>\n
Separately, the winner of the recent Indonesia and Malaysia
\nOpen, Taufik Hidayat, said that he aimed to win the US$150,000
\nJVC Asian Badminton Championships at the Senayan Indoor Stadium
\nfrom Nov. 1 to Nov. 5.<\/p>\n
\"It's an important event because if I win I will be crowned
\nthe best in Asia. We all know that Asia is the center of
\nbadminton power in the world,\" said the 19-year-old shuttler, who
\naims to win the gold medal in the Olympic Games in Sydney, from
\nSept. 15 to Oct. 1.<\/p>\n
Leo said that PBSI and the Asian Badminton Confederation (ABC)
\nwould lobby China to send its best team to compete in the
\nchampionships.<\/p>\n
China has been absent from the annual Indonesia Open since
\n1997, due to security reasons. This year it sent its second
\nstringers, except Sun Jun, to the Indonesia Open last month.<\/p>\n
\"We'll talk to them at the Olympics to persuade them to come
\nto Jakarta. But the ABC had early discussions with China and they
\npromised to support the event,\" Leo said.<\/p>\n
ABC secretary-general Datuk Punch Gunalan expressed gratitude
\nthat Indonesia was picked as the host country after it last
\nhosted the event in 1996 in Surabaya.<\/p>\n
\"It's a good indication that Indonesia is a safe place to hold
\nan event. We hope the championships will attract more spectators
\nas the prize money has been increased to $150,000 from $126,000.\"<\/p>\n
\"Yonex has also agreed to provide equipment and shuttlecocks
\nto poorer competing countries at the event. ABC will also provide
\nfree accommodation and food for six members of each team during
\nthe event.\"<\/p>\n
Gunalan said top seeds in five categories -- men's and women's
\nsingles, men's and women's doubles and mixed doubles -- would
\nreceive $1,000.<\/p>\n
ABC will hold its annual general meeting on Oct. 31. (yan)<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/seven-more-shuttlers-leave-national-camp-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }