Hendri to give his version

Hendri to give his version

JAKARTA (JP): National junior tennis player Hendri Susilo
Pramono has expressed the hope that the Indonesian Tennis
Association (Pelti) will listen to both sides before arriving at
any decisions, particularly regarding sensitive issues that could
affect a player's future.

He complained of being cornered by the assumptions of some
Pelti officials and by media reports saying that he had withdrawn
from the country's Davis Cup team.

However, there were no immediate accusations saying his
withdrawal had caused Indonesia's 2-3 defeat to Uzbekistan in the
Asia Oceania zone Group I tie from Feb. 9 to Feb. 11.

Hendri said he would send a clarification letter to Pelti's
chairman Tanri Abeng.

"I am writing the letter now. I may send it to him on Monday
if I don't change my mind," he said after practice on Friday.

Hendri was disappointed to find out that Tanri, a former
junior minister, had only listened to a one-sided report from his
officials but had never asked to hear Hendri's side of the story.

"I regret his failure to listen to both sides. He must avoid
acting like this in the future so that no more players will
suffer ill-treatment at the hands of Pelti officials. This
incident may provide a valuable lesson for Pelti and the
players."

He also hoped that the clarification could help to restore his
good standing with the organization.

"There are many Pelti officials who have only been given a
one-sided explanation for my withdrawal. If my clarification is
made known to everybody, including the media, they will all get
the whole picture. Let them make up their own minds on who is
right and who is wrong."

The 21-year-old Hendri withdrew from the squad one week before
the match as a protest against the Pelti official in charge of
athletic development Sudjiono Timan for the bad treatment he had
allegedly meted out to Hendri.

Sudjiono had questioned why Hendri skipped a practice session
at the house of Pelti's head of development, promotion and
international relations Martina Widjaja in Ragunan, South
Jakarta. Hendri argued it was not an official practice, which was
to take place at the Kemayoran Tennis Center a day later.

Hendri said he could not tolerate Sudjiono berating him in
front of the public.

"I won't apologize to Pelti for my withdrawal. I did nothing
against the association. But, I want to clarify the reason behind
it to Pak Tanri.

"Pak Tanri has only heard the views of Sudjiono and Tintus
(Arianto Wibowo, non-playing captain) and I want to explain to
him that not everything they are saying is true. I did not skip
practice."

Hendri also said he wanted to apologize to tennis fans who had
asked him frequently about his withdrawal.

"Many people who know me personally have asked me why I quit
the team. It looks like they were disappointed by my absence. I
told them I did it for a reason."

Pelti substituted Andrian Raturandang for Hendri to join
another singles Suwandi and doubles Bonit Wiryawan and Sulistyo
Wibowo.

Indonesia has to face host South Korea in the first playoffs
from April 6 to April 8. If Indonesia loses, it must win the
second playoffs to stay in Group I. (ivy)