Volleyball World C'ships delayed over debt problems<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Volleyball Association will delay
\nthe Ultrajaya Cup Women's Volleyball World Championships
\nscheduled for here next month because of financial problems with
\npromoter Spectrum.<\/p>\n
The association's executive director, Rita Soebowo, said
\nyesterday the championship would be delayed until further notice.<\/p>\n
The association still expects Spectrum to pay this year's
\nUS$18,000 sanction fee to the association and its Rp 25 million
\n(US$9,620) debt to the Kartika Chandra Hotel from last year.<\/p>\n
\"We have urged the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB)
\nto put more pressure on Spectrum to pay its debts. We don't want
\nto be the one taking the risks,\" she said.<\/p>\n
The problem started last year when Spectrum and the
\nassociation staged the world men's and women's beach volleyball
\ngrand prix series.<\/p>\n
The championship, which attracted only a few spectators, did
\nnot make any money. Spectrum could not pay the sanction fee or
\nthe money owed to the official hotel.<\/p>\n
This year's World Championship, which was to be from Aug. 1 to
\nAug. 3 at the Senayan Indoor Stadium, has been advertised in some
\nlocal newspapers. It was to feature the Netherlands, China, Italy
\nand South Korea.<\/p>\n
Rita said the association could not get a new promoter because
\nSpectrum had lobbied the FIVB to be the only promoter since 1995.<\/p>\n
\"We have sent the letters to the FIVB several times but have
\nyet to receive any response. Our latest letter was sent Tuesday,\"
\nshe said.<\/p>\n
\"How can it handle a bigger problem, if it can't finish such a
\nsmall one?\" she asked.<\/p>\n
Training<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Indonesia's indoor women's team coach, Satoshi
\nMatsunaga, said her players had trouble concentrating on their
\ntraining because of the problems.<\/p>\n
\"Their minds and their hearts are not 100 percent on the
\ncourt. After practice they rarely think about what I teach them,
\nthey just forget,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Matsunaga said their technical skills were improving but that
\nthey were still slow in defense.<\/p>\n
\"I'm trying to improve their defense and force them to move
\nfaster. I'm going to make them the fastest team in ASEAN so they
\ncan beat Thailand at the SEA Games,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He complained that women were not disciplined with their
\ndiets.<\/p>\n
\"They eat like other athletes but always snack in their rooms
\nand eat between meals,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The women's team will probably play Beijing City which will
\nvisit Indonesia for 10 days in September.<\/p>\n
Men's team assistant coach Gugi Gustaman said his team would
\nhave a two-week tryout in China before competing in next month's
\nUniversiade (Students' Games) in Sicily, Italy.<\/p>\n
\"We have improved our weakness in blocking and passing,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The association's chairwoman, Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana, said
\nshe hoped the men's and women's indoor and beach volleyball teams
\nwould make a clean sweep at the SEA Games, which will be staged
\nhere from Oct. 11 to Oct. 19. (yan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/volleyball-world-cships-delayed-over-debt-problems-1447893297",
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