Badminton association told to evaluate its failure

Badminton association told to evaluate its failure

JAKARTA (JP): National Sports Council (KONI) chairman Wismoyo
Arismunandar called on officials of the Indonesian Badminton
Association (PBSI) to ponder its athletes' failure in the
Sudirman Cup and World Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark, on
May 9 through May 23.

"Take a lesson from this failure and evaluate everything that
needs improvement," he said after receiving the badminton
contingent at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on Tuesday.

In a simple ceremony to mark the athletes' homecoming, Wismoyo
and PBSI executive chairman Karsono placed garlands of flowers
around the necks of deputy team manager and head coach Christian
Hadinata and official Hadi Nazri.

Wismoyo also told the shuttlers not to lose spirit even though
they failed to bring back the Sudirman Cup and earn titles in the
World Championships.

The failure, he said, should become the biggest motivation for
the shuttlers to improve their training.

"The most important thing is our attitude toward the failure.
We shouldn't drown in deep disappointment," Wismoyo was quoted by
Antara as saying.

Indonesia failed to reach the finals of the Sudirman Cup mixed
team championships for the second straight year after losing 2-3
in the semifinals to home favorite Denmark. The trophy eventually
went to defending champion China after it defeated Denmark 3-1 in
a dramatic final. The organizers dropped the women's doubles
match.

It blamed its failure on the short period of intensive
training and a number of injuries which plagued the team.

Christian said after the final match that some young players,
including men's single Taufik Hidayat and the women's doubles
team of Deyana Lomban and Indarti Isolina, could not overcome the
pressure of playing in front of a hostile crowd.

In the World Championships, none of Indonesia's shuttlers
appeared in the semifinal match at Brondby Hall.

Christian pointed out that the performance of Indonesia's
shuttlers was declining. He admitted that he had ignored the
progress made by many countries, which blurred his analysis on
their strengths.

He pledged to find a better way to groom shuttlers for the
Thomas and Uber Cups and the Olympic Games next year.

Speaking on the need to review coaches' capabilities,
Christian said on Monday that he did not think they should be
replaced following their failure, but instead suggested they
improve their coaching skills.

"Don't make a quick judgment based on this failure. The
coaches succeeded in grooming shuttlers and made them champions
in the Asian Games and the All England. The current coaches are
good. We need evaluation, our achievements were noted by other
countries," he said.

During the ceremony, mixed double player Ricky Subagja said
his team had tried in both championships but fortune was
apparently not on their side.

"We did not lose effortlessly. We fought our best, but maybe
we are not lucky," said Ricky, who with partner Rexy Mainaky lost
to Korean pair Lee Dong-soo and Yoo Yong-sung in the World
Championships.

He vowed to try his best in following events, such as the 20th
Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Brunei Darussalam in August and
the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. (ivy)