JP/3/TAUFIK
Agencies Jakarta
Following the ongoing dispute with the Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) over the status of badminton star Taufik Hidayat, the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) has decided to try preventing Taufik from playing in international events until his status is clear.
"A PBSI board of directors' meeting decided on Tuesday to ask the International Badminton Federation (IBF) to ban Taufik from taking part in any international events," PBSI's secretary- general Lutfi Hamid told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
"We don't have any intention of banning Taufik from joining the Singaporean squad but he must follow the proper procedures," he added.
The PBSI also decided at the meeting not to register Taufik for two badminton Grand Prix tournaments, namely the four-star US$125,000 All England from Mar. 5 to Mar. 10 and the Swiss Open from Mar. 11 to Mar. 17.
Taufik has resigned from the national squad because of his disappointment over how the PBSI treated him in 2001 during the tenure of previous chairman, Subagyo Hadisiswoyo.
While he had still not fully detached from the Indonesian badminton authorities, Taufik signed a contract with the SBA which led to confusion and anger among PBSI officials.
Lutfi said that the PBSI has asked its Singaporean counterpart to clarify the matter based on "personal relations and understandings".
"We arranged to have a meeting with the SBA last week but they canceled it saying that the official in charge was on leave," he said.
"This shows that the SBA lacks the will to settle the matter," he said.
Taufik, 21, said last month he had decided to leave Indonesia and play for Singapore in open tournaments. But he said he would still represent Indonesia in major international sporting events such as the Olympics and the Thomas Cup.
Hidayat is the world's number 11 men's singles player.
Separately, PBSI spokesman Riza Primadi said the IBF statutes allowed it to ban a player who was not under the wing of a member organization or was not in good standing with the member organization.
Taufik, who in 1999 became the youngest player to reach an All England final, announced last year he had decided to quit the national team after he was barred from participating in the Denmark Open after missing a training session.
He said at the time he would concentrate on his studies.
Hidayat has frequently been at odds with local badminton officials. He once criticized former association chairman, retired general Subagyo Hadisiswoyo, as being unfit to lead the organization because he was a military man.
His move to Singapore sees him reunited him with his personal mentor Mulyo Handoyo, who has been hired as the city state's singles coach.