JP/3/TAUFIK

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.