46 BNI demands ticket to go abroad

46 BNI demands ticket to go abroad

Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Management of Jakarta 46 BNI, the dual winner in the men's and women's divisions of the 2005 Sampoerna Hijau Proliga volleyball tournament, is demanding the Volleyball Association of Indonesia (PBVSI) fulfill its promise to send the champions to an international championship.

Jakarta 46 BNI team manager Dasuki Amsir said on Monday that his team would send a letter to PBVSI to seek clarification about the realization of the pledge.

Dasuki said it was within their rights to ask about the foreign trip, especially as there had been no news from the association.

"It's only normal for us to ask PBVSI to keep its promise that the latter would send the 2005 Proliga champion to participate in an international tournament, something that was announced at the technical meeting before the 2005 Proliga," he said at a press briefing.

Although last year's women's team champion Jakarta Electric PLN was sent to compete in an international tournament, it is unclear if the association would keep its word to send the 2005 Proliga champion overseas a week after the championships ended, he added.

He also complained that Jakarta 46 BNI spent about Rp 2 billion (US$210,000) to participate in the 2005 championship, but the "reward" from PBVSI was too small in comparison.

The 2005 Proliga champion in both the men's and women's divisions received prize money of Rp 75 million.

However, Dasuki said his team would be unlikely to boycott the 2006 Proliga despite its current problem with PBVSI.

Jakarta 46 BNI men's team defeated Jakarta Monas Bank DKI in the final in Senayan, Central Jakarta, on May 1, while its women's team beat Jakarta Electric PLN.