IBF has other sponsors

JAKARTA (JP): International Badminton Federation (IBF) vice chairman Justian Suhandinata said yesterday that the federation had an alternative sponsor if Indonesia-based cigarette company, PT. HM. Sampoerna, withdrew from the Thomas and Uber Cups championships in Hong Kong in May.

"The IBF is optimistic that we can still stage the events on time because we have an alternative if the main sponsor cannot fulfill its promise," he said.

"Some Asian countries agreed at the Asian Badminton Confederation's executive committee meeting in Manila last week to financially help the IBF to stage the event," he added.

Japan, South Korea and China Taipei have agreed to pay for the sponsorship boards around the courts.

"Promoter IMG (International Management Group) will also provide US$5,000," Justian said.

It is feared Asia's economic turmoil might force HM. Sampoerna to pull out from sponsoring the $1 million event.

Justian said IMG should have submitted a 30 percent down payment to the IBF on Jan. 1. But due to the rupiah's depreciation against US dollar, IMG failed to hand over the money.

Antara reported that South Korea has been named to replace Hong Kong as the championships host but that the move would be delayed to January 1999.

Justian said it was impossible to stage the championships in Europe due to sponsorship problems and that the IBF had always suffered a deficit when staging the biennial event in Europe. (yan)