'ANteve' and Bumiputera to sponsor badminton s'ship
'ANteve' and Bumiputera to sponsor badminton s'ship
JAKARTA (JP): The Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI),
ANteve and life insurance group Bumiputera signed an agreement
yesterday to organize the Jakarta Junior Open badminton
championship from June 30 to July 7.
The PBSI's Jakarta chapter head, Karsono, ANteve's Nenny
Soemawinata and Bumiputera's Suratno Hadisuwito signed the
agreement.
The three parties will seek tournament sponsorship and provide
scholarships for the winners.
Karsono said badminton was of interest not only in the
community but also to parties like Bumiputera and ANteve.
"I am grateful that Bumiputera and ANteve have shown their
concern about badminton, and I hope this will be continued in the
coming years," Karsono said.
Suratno said Bumiputera would help in any way it could to
improve badminton and the welfare of players.
"We hope the badminton tournament will get a good response
from the community as the tournament will become a gauge to
select young shuttlers with potential," Suratno said.
Nenny said ANteve was committed to publicizing many sports,
including badminton.
"As you can see, we have prepared Sunday as a day of sport to
show our concern about sport."
The tournament will be called the Bumiputera Jakarta Open
badminton championship and will be held at the Senayan Indoor
Stadium. The event offers cash prizes of Rp 40 million
(US$16,500).
Thirty-four countries have been invited to the eight-day
tournament and so far 20 have confirmed their participation.
This is the second time Bumiputera has sponsored the badminton
tournament. It sponsored last year's event which boasted 822
junior shuttlers from 12 countries. Last year Rp 30 million in
prize money was up for grabs.
Former player and now national coach, Minarni Soedaryanto,
said among the 20 countries that had confirmed they would take
part were Germany, Poland, Belgium, Malaysia, Australia, Denmark,
Myanmar, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, New Zealand, Hong Kong,
Chinese Taipei and Brunei Darussalam.
"We are still waiting confirmation from the other 14
countries. China says it will not take part in the tournament,"
she said.
Minarni said many countries wanted to send more players than
the allocated number.
"The organizers allow only four players from each country.
Hong Kong told us it wanted to send 20 players but we have
refused this is because it is above the allocated number,"
Minarni said.
Jakarta Governor Surjadi Soedirdja will open the tournament.
Minarni further said many of the world's top shuttlers were
Jakarta Junior Open winners.
In 1992 the International Badminton Federation adopted the
championship as the official world junior badminton championship
and started managing the tournament.
"Susi Susanti, Hariyanto Arbi, Alan Budikusuma and Joko
Supriyanto are among the shuttlers who have competed in the
Jakarta Open. We hope we can create good players from the coming
tournament to replace the seniors," she said. (lnt)