IBF asks Indonesia to include Mia on Olympic team

IBF asks Indonesia to include Mia on Olympic team

JAKARTA (JP): Former Indonesian badminton star Mia Audina has
always been a newsworthy figure among local badminton fans, not
least after she left for the Netherlands last year to reside with
her Dutch-Surinamese husband.

The Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) caused more
shockwaves on Thursday when it announced the International
Badminton Federation (IBF) requested Indonesia include the 20-
year-old shuttler in its Olympic contingent.

PBSI secretary-general Leo Chandra Wiranata said the IBF's
letter asked Indonesia to include Mia on the national team if the
International Olympic Committee turned down the request of the
Badminton Association of the Netherlands to allow her to
represent the country in the Olympics.

The letter was signed by the federation's official in charge
of international championships and tournament open badminton
rankings, Vanessa Freeman.

"I have to consult with PBSI chairman Subagyo Hadisiswoyo
about this matter. The decision is in his hands," he said. "I
will give him some aspects to consider.

"The most important thing is we must have a personal letter
from Mia assuring us that she will play for Indonesia."

"I don't want something bad to happen during or after the
Olympics. We can't directly answer 'yes' or 'no' to the request."

Leo said PBSI would announce the decision by next week.

The deadline for Olympic badminton qualification is April 30.
The IBF is scheduled to announce the list of shuttlers for the
Games on May 1.

Leo said the IBF sent a letter last month asking PBSI to
support the Dutch bid to include Mia on its team for the Olympics
in Sydney in September.

"We didn't give any response to the call. In principal, we
leave the matter to the IBF rule saying that a player can
represent a new country in a multisports event if he or she has
resided in the country for one year.

Mia, now world ranked 11, moved to the Netherlands in July
following her mother's death in April. A star since the age of
14, she married Tylio Lobman, a gospel singer, and is reportedly
estranged from her father Rivan Tjiptawan.

Leo assumed the IBF requested Mia be included on the
Indonesian team because it wanted world-class athletes in the
quadrennial event, and particularly Mia, the 1996 Olympic silver
medalist.

National Sports Council (KONI) vice chairman Arie Sudewo said
he would leave the decision to PBSI.

"I just heard about it from you. But I believe PBSI will
discuss the matter. No matter what the result is, I leave it to
the association."

Arie said KONI previously received the letter from the IBF
asking Indonesia to allow Mia to represent the Netherlands in the
Olympics.

"We replied that we would follow the IBF's rules."

Arie said he was unfamiliar with Dutch citizenship
requirements.

"If Mia hasn't kept her Indonesian citizenship, I'm afraid she
has already become a Dutch citizen. But I don't really understand
their rules. If it's the same as here, then Mia is automatically
Dutch unless she keeps her own citizenship." (yan)