Badminton body faces problems over PON

Badminton body faces problems over PON

JAKARTA (JP): The National Sports Council (KONI) will strive
to retain the gold medal tradition in badminton in the Olympic
Games in Sydney this September.

However, the path to reach this goal will be challenged by its
provincial chapters, which aim to win gold medals in the upcoming
15th National Games (PON) in Surabaya from June 19 to June 30.

Chairman of the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) West
Java chapter Lutfi Hamid said in a letter to PBSI officials,
dated May 29, 2000, that the province would insist on including
1996 Olympic gold medalists Ricky Subagja and Rexy Mainaky in its
contingent.

"We just received a letter from PBSI today, which was late as
the closing date for registration was on May 1. The letter
includes 19 names, of which eight are from West Java," he said.

"If the officials are worried that athletes might suffer an
injury during PON, the West Java chapter had staged a discussion
on May 15 in Bandung on the matter above. The conclusion was
competing in PON will not interrupt the Olympics training program
and will not injure athletes."

Lutfi said the competitiveness surrounding national badminton
was established due to the participation of national shuttlers in
PON.

"I think some people are very jealous of the West Java
shuttlers' success in the 1993 and 1996 PON where we won four of
the seven golds at stake."

Late last year, PBSI chairman Subagyo Hadisiswoyo had called
on the chapters not to send shuttlers who qualify for the
Olympics to compete in PON due to their tight preparation
schedule to accomplish their goals.

PBSI has qualified Hendrawan, Taufik Hidayat and Marlev
Mainaky in the men's singles; Candra Wijaya and Tony Gunawan,
Ricky and Rexy, Flandy Limpele and Eng Hian in the men's doubles;
Tri Kusheryanto and Minarti Timur, Bambang Suprianto and Zelin
Resiana in the mixed doubles and Elysa Nathanael and Deyana
Lomban, Etty Tantri and Cynthia Tuwankotta in the women's
doubles.

The association has targeted to bring home another gold medal
in the men's singles and doubles. Indonesia won two golds in the
1992 Olympics in Barcelona since badminton was fielded for the
first time. In 1996, Indonesia retained the tradition of netting
gold medals with Ricky and Rexy.

KONI vice chairman Arie Sudewo, who is also in charge as the
Olympics training director, said KONI would stick to the
commitment made by sports associations, including PBSI.

"If they have decided not to allow their athletes to compete
in PON, they must commit to it. Don't change their decision just
weeks prior to the event, or I will disagree," he said.

Several sports organizations, which athletes qualify for the
Olympics, include PON in their training program as a preparation
for the Olympics. The sport events include track and field,
swimming and archery in the FITA round only.

"Boxing and judo categories have planned to include their
athletes but they changed their mind. Our boxers are undergoing
an overseas stint in Cuba during PON while the judo association
opts to send two judokas to the Netherlands for the stint," Arie
said.

Arie said KONI would not allow athletes to have competitions
eight weeks prior to the Olympics.

"It's too risky to allow them to participate in a competition,
especially at the international level, less than eight weeks
before the Olympics. I'm afraid they would not be able to reach
their peak performance."

National shuttlers still have a chance to compete in the
Indonesia Open from July 19 to July 23 and one of the three
remaining circuits of the Malaysia Open, Thailand Open and
Singapore Open. (yan)