Indonesian shuttlers get IOC travel funds

Indonesian shuttlers get IOC travel funds

JAKARTA (JP): The International Olympic Committee has granted
five top Indonesian badminton players financial support to fund
their international outings ahead of the 1996 Olympic Games in
Atlanta.

The funds, which cover travel expenses, as well as insurance,
from Jan. 1 this year through June 30 next year, go to Susi
Susanti, Yuliani Sentosa, Joko Suprianto, Ardy Wiranata and
Hariyanto Arbi. These athletes are all expected to qualify for
the Olympics.

The financial aid package, initiated by Olympic Solidarity, is
given to athletes from developing countries who are likely to
make an appearance in Atlanta.

"IOC has so far approved aiding our shuttlers only," RAJ
Gosal, secretary-general of the Badminton Association of
Indonesia (PBSI), said on Monday night. PBSI received the funds
last week.

Gosal would not elaborate on how much the Indonesian shuttlers
had received.

Gosal said the men's doubles team was not included in the aid
recipient list because PBSI wanted to give priority to singles
players.

Gosal said that IOC would stop the aid and name new recipients
if the top players failed to maintain their world rankings. Susi
and Hariyanto, who are gearing up for their title defense at the
All-England championships, top the latest rankings issued by the
International Badminton Federation (IBF) in women's singles and
men's singles respectively. Yuliani, Joko and Ardy are ranked
among the players.

Only 16 spots are offered in each of five badminton individual
events in the 1996 Olympics. A country is allowed to field a
maximum of two players in each division, but badminton superpower
Indonesia has the privilege of sending three players. Five gold
medals are at stake at the 1996 Olympics.

Indonesia took its first Olympic gold medal when Susi and her
fiancee Alan Budikusuma romped home with badminton singles titles
in the women's and men's respectively in Barcelona in 1992.(amd)