Cash-strapped PBSI mulls mass dismissal of players

Cash-strapped PBSI mulls mass dismissal of players

JAKARTA (JP): The Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI)
indicated on Thursday a massive dismissal of elite players
accommodated at its training center here due to lack of funds.

PBSI chairman Subagyo Hadisiswoyo told reporters here that
dismissing half of the existing 60 players being groomed at the
training center in Cipayung, East Jakarta, was one of three
options to save the organization from its worst financial deficit
ever.

"The financial crisis will force us to make a difficult
decision. We have drafted three possible options to be discussed
further," Subagyo said at the training center, which has given
birth to a lot of the world's badminton greats.

Subagyo was speaking after presenting car insurance policies
to players and their coaches who won medals at last month's
Sydney Olympic Games. The value of the policies ranged from
between Rp 200 million (US$ 22,400) and Rp 600 million.

Other proposed solutions are sending a short-list of players
for outings and opting for junior, second-string players as
competitors in international tournaments, instead of seasoned
shuttlers, Subagyo said.

However, he would not go into detail about the cause of the
deficit that may compromise the players' achievements in the
future.

"From now on we will give shuttlers who have achieve well the
first chance to play in tournaments abroad. Only if we can find
adequate sponsorship can we also send others of a lower
standard," he said.

He maintained that despite the crisis, PBSI would help the
players develop, particularly on the women's side.

Separately, PBSI secretary general Leo Chandra Winata admitted
that the national badminton body had been suffering from a
deficit of funds over the past two years.

"Although we have a substantial amount of reserve funds, the
PBSI isn't as rich as the public may think. We have collected Rp
6 billion in reserve funds from various fund raising activities
in the past," he said.

Only some Rp 2 billion is remaining in PBSI's coffer after it
spent Rp 4 billion to cover the deficit in its budget.

Leo said PBSI also received Rp 5 billion from sponsors this
fiscal year, but the funds in hand remained far from enough to
cover the expenses needed to support shuttlers on various tours,
which this year could reach Rp 11 billion.

PBSI also has a perpetual fund of Rp 31 billion in depository
notes. The association uses the interest rates to finance its day
to day activities.

"It's our intention to never use the perpetual fund. Instead,
we are trying to increase it in order to get a bigger income from
interest rates," said Leo.

He said the cash-strapped PBSI would send only 15 players to
the season opening with the Japan Open next year, half the number
Indonesia used to send in the past.

Speaking on the reduction of players in the training center,
Leo said it could occur in a natural way.

"There are players who feel it's time for them to leave either
for achievement, age, or health reasons. I have heard that some
players are considering retirement from the training center but I
haven't received any official letters from them yet," he said.

Men's doubles player Rexy Mainaky is one of the players who
will depart the center after he took up a coaching job with an
English team. (nvn)