Christian tipped to replace Icuk

Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) is taking the resignation of head of development Icuk Sugiarto in stride, with coach Christian Hadinata its first nominee as his replacement.

"We understand and accept Icuk's decision to leave PBSI," association chairman Sutiyoso said on Thursday after a plenary meeting to discuss the resignation.

The Jakarta governor said he would temporarily take over the head of development position, with PBSI vice chairman Ferial Sofyan in charge of its daily running.

With Sutiyoso about to leave on a trip to South Korea and China, PBSI spokesman Dedi "Miing" Gumilar added that Christian, 54, was the first nominee to replace Icuk.

"We will find other candidates in the following two or three days."

He described Christian -- a three-time All-England doubles champion in the 1970s and 1980 world mixed doubles champion -- as a fine coach with a good rapport with shuttlers and experience in badminton development.

Icuk, who resigned suddenly on Tuesday, was also the team manager for the 2005 Sudirman Cup mixed team championship. Miing said his replacement in this capacity would be appointed once Sutiyoso returned from overseas on April 19.

The Sudirman Cup will be held in Beijing on May 10-15.

In tendering his resignation, Icuk complained that a written reprimand about his absence from an April 1 PBSI meeting was tantamount to asking him to choose between the association and his duties as a consultant to the Office of the State Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs.

However, Miing said Icuk had missed several meetings, and the April 1 gathering was called to discuss players' performance in the German Open, All England and Swiss Open as well as nominate players for the Sudirman Cup.

"How could we discuss the items on the agenda if Icuk preferred to go to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in his capacity as special staff to the State Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs?"

Critics have said Indonesia's dismal performance in the European tournaments -- with a single title from men's doubles veterans Candra Wijaya and Sigit Budiarto -- does not bode well for the Sudirman Cup.

Indonesia won the Sudirman Cup -- named after Indonesia's "father of badminton" -- in its inaugural year in 1989, but has been a four-time runner-up in 1991, 1993, 1995 and 2001.