Christian tipped to replace Icuk

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.