Elite shuttlers boost championship standards

Elite shuttlers boost championship standards

Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) defended on
Tuesday the mandatory presence of elite players at the 2001
National Badminton Individual Championships, saying they boosted
the event's standards.

The PBSI official in charge of tournament and referee affairs,
Juniarto Suhandinata, admitted that the policy had sparked
controversy among the organization's chapters nationwide.

"Those who support the policy say that the event will give
provincial players a chance to play with shuttlers being groomed
at the Indonesian Badminton Center (PBI)," said Juniarto, who
also chairs the championships' organizing committee.

He said elite shuttlers were always eager to play in national
events after spending most of their time playing around the
globe.

Juniarto insisted that by taking part in the national
championships, elite shuttlers provided a great opportunity for
domestic supporters to watch their badminton idols play on court.

The critics, he said, asserted that top shuttlers would leave
no space for their counterparts in provinces to win the
championships.

It will be the second event this year where elite shuttlers
have played shuttlers from provincial chapters after the National
Badminton Team Championships were held in the capital of South
Kalimantan, Banjarmasin, in February.

The National Championships will run from Wednesday through to
Sunday at the Bung Karno Badminton Stadium. It will be the first
major domestic event to use the new best-of-five seven points
scoring system. Earlier in August, PBSI's West Java chapter
adopted the new system on the Samsung-SGS Badminton Circuit.

The championships are divided into the senior and U-19 youth
division. All junior shuttlers being groomed at the National
Badminton Center in Cipayung, East Jakarta will compete in the
senior division.

Representing West Java after quitting the badminton center in
Cipayung, Indonesia's top shuttler Taufik Hidayat tops the seeds
and is expected to meet world champion Hendrawan in the men's
singles final in the senior division.

But they will have to overcome their younger training mates.
In the upper leg, Taufik faces challenges from either Taufiq
Hidayat Akbar or Ardiansyah in the quarterfinals.

Second stringers Johan Hadikusuma and Ronny Agustinus are the
most likely opponents for Taufik in the semifinals, provided both
of them can pass earlier tests.

In the bottom leg, Hendrawan should easily reach the quarters
before a semifinal match against either second stringer Budi
Santoso or juniors Sony Dwi Kuncoro and Wiempi Mahardi.

In the women's singles, Atu Rosalina heads the seeds and is
expected to meet former training mate Yuli Marfuah, who left the
badminton center days before Taufik, for the title.

Candra Wijaya and Sigit Budiarto are the favorites to win the
men's doubles, with only Nova Widhianto and Bambang Suprianto
posing any real challenge.

In the women's doubles, the pair of Vita Marissa and old-crack
Minarti Timur will see their junior training mates Enny Erlanga
and Jo Novita stand between them and the title.

Veteran shuttlers are also expected to dominate the mixed
doubles with Bambang and Emma Erlangga expected to meet Tri
Kusheryanto and Vita to contest the title.

PBSI will also hold its national congress at Hotel Indonesia
in Central Jakarta from Friday until Sunday. Among the agendas is
to elect the new chairman to replace incumbent Subagyo
Hadisiswoyo who has ruled out his reelection bid.

There are two strong candidates to fill Subagyo's shoes:
former PBSI vice chairman and current vice president of the
International Badminton Federation (IBF) Justian Suhadinata and
businessman Chairul Tanjung. During the election on Sunday, some
300 delegates will cast their votes representing chapters and
branches across the country.