Hariyanto joins Thomas Cup team
JAKARTA (JP): Hariyanto Arbi finally joined the Thomas Cup team on Monday after defeating compatriot Budi Santoso 15-8, 15- 8, in an internal selection at the Indonesian Badminton Center in Cipayung, East Jakarta.
The complete list of both Thomas and Uber Cups teams will be announced by the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) on Wednesday evening at the latest, prior to the simulation at the Padjdjaran Stadium in Bogor on Thursday.
PBSI official in charge of athletes development Mangombar Ferdinand Siregar said the meeting staged at chairman Subagyo Hadisiswoyo's residence on Monday evening did not discuss team line-ups.
"We will have meetings tomorrow before sending the line-up to the International Badminton Federation (IBF) for the Wednesday deadline," he said.
Hariyanto, nicknamed Hari, joins the world ranked number two Hendrawan, world ranked five Taufik Hidayat and world ranked six Marlev Mainaky in team aiming to win the cup for the 12th time.
In the men's doubles, Indonesia will likely include Sigit Budiarto to enable the team match him with Candra Wijaya, whose partner Tony Gunawan is still recovering from a shoulder injury.
In the Uber Cup team, Indonesia will rely on Lidya Djaelawidjaja, Ellen Angelina, Yuli Marfuah and Niniek Masrikah. In the doubles, Elysa Nathanael and Deyana Lomban and Etty Tantri and Cynthia Tuwankotta will definitely join the team. The third doubles has yet to be decided.
Meanwhile, the association's executive director Karsono said PBSI would stage a urine test to scrutinize shuttlers accused of consuming banned substances.
"We have received information from many people saying that some shuttlers have been taking banned substances, most of them ecstasy."
Karsono said PBSI would undergo urine tests on 10 suspected shuttlers.
"We really want to test all the shuttlers here but due to the expense, PBSI can only afford 10 tests."
The National Sports Council's (KONI) head of sports science commission, Carmen Jahya, said in a telephone interview that should PBSI undergo urine tests, they should be conducted without any prior notification.
"If PBSI wants to conduct tests, (it should) do it suddenly. If the suspected athletes have taken ecstasy or shabu-shabu (crystal methamphetamine), they can erase their tracks by consuming lots of water. The evidence will disappear within two days. It's useless," she said.
Carmen said ecstasy and shabu-shabu were produced from amphetamine or derivatives of it and were by themselves nonaddictive.
"But I don't buy the rumors. I know our shuttlers have good manners." (yan)