WTA cites security concerns in canceling RI events<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The WTA Tour has dropped the Wismilak Open
\ntournaments in Surabaya and Jakarta from its calendar this year
\ndue to security concerns.<\/p>\n
Operations manager of the women's professional tennis circuit
\ngoverning body, Linda Christensen, said in a July 17 faxed letter
\nto the Indonesian Tennis Association that the decision was made
\nafter an inspection of the cities.<\/p>\n
\"The Tour recently conducted security risk checks for the
\ncities of Surabaya and Jakarta. Given the strong chance that
\nIndonesia will become more volatile and the possibility for
\nfurther violent unrest in Surabaya and Jakarta later in the year,
\nit is not in the best interests of the Tour players or officials
\nto travel to these cities at this time,\" Christensen said.<\/p>\n
\"Therefore, based on these results, both tournaments have been
\ncanceled for 1998.\"<\/p>\n
The tier-three tournament in Surabaya, which offered a purse
\nof US$147,000, was scheduled for Sep. 28 - Oct. 4. The Jakarta
\nopen, a tier-four event with $107,000 on offer, was slated on
\nNov. 9 - Nov. 15.<\/p>\n
Riots shook several Indonesian cities in the wake of student
\nmovements that culminated in the ouster of former president
\nSoeharto in May. Random acts of looting and seizure of goods and
\nproperty continue to be widespread problems.<\/p>\n
Security worries have also been blamed for disrupting other
\nsports events in the country. The Indonesian Open badminton
\nchampionships has been moved back from August to November, while
\nthe soccer league was prematurely halted in May.<\/p>\n
In response to the WTA Tour's decision, deputy secretary-
\ngeneral of the Indonesian Tennis Association Subiyanto said the
\nassociation would ask for further explanation from Surabaya-based
\ncigarette company Wismilak, the events' main sponsor.<\/p>\n
\"The WTA Tour has never tried to get information from us about
\nthe situation in Jakarta,\" Subiyanto said yesterday. \"It's too
\nbad to cancel both tournaments just because of security reasons.\"<\/p>\n
Local players Mimma Chernovita, Irawati Moerid Iskandar, Wynne
\nPrakusya, Enny Sulistyowati, Liza Andriyani and Cynthia Dwi were
\nexpected to play in both tournaments.<\/p>\n
Dominique van Roost of Belgium won the singles event at last
\nyear's tournament in Surabaya. The duo of Kerry-Anne Guse of
\nAustralia and Rika Hiraki of Japan won the doubles.<\/p>\n
This year's tournament in Jakarta was to serve as a
\nreplacement for the Indonesian Women's Open which in the past was
\nsponsored by Bank Danamon. Wismilak has sponsored the Surabaya
\nevent for the past four years. (yan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/wta-cites-security-concerns-in-canceling-ri-events-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}