Change will do Indonesian badminton some good

The dominant force in women's badminton in the 1990s, Susy Susanti took all the major international singles titles. Unfortunately, it's been lean days for Indonesian women since her retirement in 1998. What will it take to get back on the champion's podium?

Our badminton is in a slump, particularly for the women, and much of it has to do with our lateness in stepping up the effort for regeneration.

When Mia Audina decided to marry and move to the Netherlands (1999), it left a gap that was too wide to be bridged immediately. The players one level below her were not ready to take over, and struggled in the attempt to enter the top ranks.

Essentially, Mia's departure caused a loss of one generation in our badminton hopes.

The Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) made a big mistake. It had been overly confident about Mia's future and neglected other players.

Actually, there were seven players at the training center at about the same time as her, but, being older than her and deemed as not having the same potential, they were gradually discarded.

Those players looked abroad -- the United States, Australia, Canada or Malaysia -- to continue their careers. They may not have turned out to be world beaters, but they have done OK.

PBSI should have retained them, for their continued presence in the training camp would have given badminton a future.

With tournament experience and relatively better honed skills, they could have been used as practice partners for young shuttlers. It would have played a role in bridging that gap left by Mia's departure.

To groom future champions, something must be done about the training program.

PBSI currently sticks to a recruitment framework in which the players are already compelled to play a specific event from an early age.

For instance, players are stamped as singles players only; if they fail to perform, then they are dropped.

Why just dump them like that? They may have potential in doubles or mixed doubles. Try them.

I think PBSI should go back to the example of my day, when players under 18 were allowed to play all three events (Susy was the junior singles and doubles champion). They become all rounders, physically and mentally, and learn to vary their strokes, and also court speed.

China is the badminton powerhouse today thanks to its tireless effort in pursuing regeneration.

It probably finds it easier to spot new, young talent because the government gets behind the campaign by providing guarantees of future welfare for successful athletes. South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam have begun to do the same.

Unfortunately, we do not offer that future security to our country's athletes.Instead, parents wonder how their children will make ends meet once their playing days are over.

And the government should remember that badminton is the only sport in which we have been able to win Olympic gold.

There is no disputing that Indonesia has abundant talent in the sport, but PBSI needs to work harder to turn things around. The first step is they must try to repopularize the sport, which has suffered diminished appreciation among the public in recent years.

PBSI is trying to cooperate with the national education ministry for the sport to be taught as an extracurricular discipline. That's a good step, an encouraging change in policy.

Transparency and professionalism on the part of PBSI is also a must in the future. When it comes to sharing information about the value of a sponsor's contract, PBSI must be transparent (Indonesian players do not receive prize money as individuals, but it is divided up among all members of the national training center in a collective system).

PBSI cannot be seen to be partial or playing favorites. A champion deserves the best in order to spur others to do their best. Taufik Hidayat reaped financial rewards after winning the men's singles gold in Athens, and he deserved them.

His feat, and rewards, should motivate others.

It will be tough for Indonesian women to catch up with the world, but, with hard work and change, I am optimistic we can become champions once again.

Susy Susanti talked to The Jakarta Post's Musthofid and Bruce Emond.