KONI sees Thomas/Uber Cup as Olympic stepping-stone

JAKARTA (JP): The National Sports Council (KONI) considers the Thomas and Uber cups, badminton's premier team events, as the benchmark for its goals in the Olympic Games in Sydney in September.

KONI vice chairman Arie Sudewo said on Thursday the players' performance in the cups next week would indicate their chances in the Olympics.

"I hope our men's and women's teams will be able to achieve the target of retaining the Thomas Cup for the 12th time and reaching the semifinal of the Uber Cup. That will help us to win gold medals in the Olympics," he said during a visit to the Indonesian Badminton Center in Cipayung, East Jakarta.

Indonesia has targeted winning gold in at least the men's singles and men's doubles at the Olympics from Sept. 15 to Oct. 1.

The Thomas Cup has long been a symbol of Indonesia's supremacy in the sport, with the men's shuttlers winning it 11 times since 1958. The Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) aims to bring it home for a fourth consecutive time, a feat it also achieved from 1970 to 1979.

Indonesia is in the Thomas Cup's yellow group with Sweden, England and powerhouse China. Host Malaysia, the runner-up in 1998, is in the blue group with Denmark, South Korea and India for the event from May 11 to May 21.

In the Uber Cup, Indonesia is in the pink group with Japan, Denmark and Malaysia. Defending champion China is in the purple group with South Korea, Sweden and the Netherlands.

Arie encouraged the players to win over spectators through sportsmanship.

"Don't fear your opponents. You are on the same court with the same conditions. All you have to do is do your best without ignoring the values of sportsmanship.

"Shuttlers must be able to maintain their condition, boost their fighting spirit and self-confidence to win."

Meanwhile, the International Badminton Federation (IBF) issued the list of 162 Olympic qualifiers on Wednesday. A total of 19 Indonesian shuttlers qualified for the event.

Mia Audina Tjiptawan, the former Indonesian second ranked women's singles player, is included on the list playing for the Netherlands despite the fact she has not been a resident of the country for a year, which is the IBF requirement.

Arie, who is also the country's Olympic executive training director, said Indonesia left the matter up to the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

"We leave Mia's case completely to the IOC and IBF. Whatever the decision is, we can deal with it. It's the IOC's full authority to decide who qualifies for the event. We have to take the risk. It's in the name of sportsmanship."

PBSI chairman Subagyo Hadisiswoyo said Mia was no longer Indonesia's concern.

"She asked to move to the Netherlands with her husband and we allowed her to do so. If she qualifies for the Olympics, that's the decision of the IBF. Even if she has yet to stay in the Netherlands for a year, it's up to the IBF and the Badminton Association of the Netherlands."

PBSI training director Christian Hadinata said he was unaware of the list but he did not fault Mia for moving abroad.

"She has proved she could reach better achievements in the Netherlands. She had many problems outside badminton here which caused her poor form. It's good for her to be able to overcome her difficulties."

KONI also held a doping counseling session for shuttlers. (yan)