Sudirman Cup players protest tough training<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): With less than three weeks to the Sudirman Cup
\nand World Championships, several men's singles shuttlers have
\ncomplained about the rigors of a physical training program
\norganized by the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI).<\/p>\n
The 1999 All England finalist Taufik Hidayat told The Jakarta
\nPost and Kompas daily on Wednesday that he worried the program
\nmight affect his speed or cause injury.<\/p>\n
\"It doesn't make any sense to me that PBSI is forcing us to
\nhave the physical training with only two weeks to go. I'm afraid
\nI will get injured with the harder training,\" he said.<\/p>\n
PBSI called up physical trainer Tahir Djide on Monday to
\nprovide extra training to prepare the shuttlers for the Sudirman
\nCup and the World Championships, to be held in consecutive weeks
\nin Copenhagen from May 10 to May 24.<\/p>\n
Taufik, 19, spoke emotionally of not being able to stand the
\ntraining, especially when Tahir ordered him to stretch his
\ninjury-prone back.<\/p>\n
\"I cried because I tend to have back injuries if I force my
\ntraining. I can do what he says but I won't be able to play in
\nboth events. Is this what PBSI wants from me?<\/p>\n
\"I told doctor Michael (Triangto) that I couldn't handle this
\nkind of exercise,\" he said, referring to the association's
\ndoctor.<\/p>\n
Taufik, world ranked 12, will compete in both events with
\n1998 Asian Games silver medalist Hendrawan and 1998 Indonesia
\nOpen finalist Budi Santoso.<\/p>\n
Taufik preferred to concentrate only on the World
\nChampionships.<\/p>\n
\"With Budi and Hendrawan on the team, I'll focus on the World
\nChampionships. But I'll be ready for the Sudirman Cup,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Budi, ranked third in the world, seconded Taufik's protest.<\/p>\n
\"The time is too short to have physical training. We are
\nworried that we will get injured. The physical training just
\nstarted two days ago and I think we can't follow it 100 percent.\"<\/p>\n
He believed the two-week-period should be used instead for
\nmaintenance training.<\/p>\n
Tahir also expressed surprise at PBSI decision's on timing of
\nthe training, saying it should have been started three months
\nago.<\/p>\n
\"We lack time for the physical training, but that's what PBSI
\nwants me to do. How can I prepare them to reach their best in a
\nvery short time?\"<\/p>\n
PBSI vice chairman Agus Wirahadikusumah defended his decision.<\/p>\n
\"Pak Tahir is a very experienced physical trainer and I am
\nsure that he has arranged his program as needed by PBSI and he
\nhas also considered our need and the limited time,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"A physical trainer is always disliked by athletes because the
\ntraining is always hard.\"<\/p>\n
\"I hope Pak Tahir can provide the proper training for our
\nshuttlers and they will be physically fit for both major events.\"<\/p>\n
Agus said he told the shuttlers not to complain too much with
\nthe hard training, saying he was not fully really satisfied with
\ntheir form in recent international tournaments.<\/p>\n
\"Maybe they are protesting because they know well their
\ncondition. But maybe they are wrong because I think their stamina
\nand fighting spirit are very bad,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Agus said he planned to take the national squad for a two-day
\nrest at a resort in Lido, West Java.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has registered Hendrawan, Taufik, Budi and Hariyanto
\nArbi in the men's singles, and Mia Audina, Cindana, Ellen
\nAngelina and Lidya Djaelawidjaja in the women's singles for both
\nevents.<\/p>\n
The men's doubles teams of Candra Wijaya and Tony Gunawan,
\nRicky Subagja and Rexy Mainaky, Antonius and Denny Kantono and
\nFlandy Limpele and Eng Hian will also join the squad.<\/p>\n
Women's duos of Elysa and Deyana Lomban, Indarti Issoliana and
\nCarmelita and Cynthia Tuwankotta and Etty Tantri and mixed pairs
\nof Tri Kusherjanto and Minarti Timur, Bambang Suprianto and Zelin
\nResiana and Wahyu Agung and Emma Ermawati are also included.<\/p>\n
PBSI is to stage a competition simulation at the Armed Forces
\nheadquarters in Cilangkap, East Jakarta, on Friday and at the
\nIndonesian Badminton Center in Cipayung, East Jakarta, on
\nWednesday. (yan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/sudirman-cup-players-protest-tough-training-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}