Meulendjiks hopes Mia will be a treat for the Dutch team
Meulendjiks hopes Mia will be a treat for the Dutch team
DENPASAR, Bali (JP): Dutch women's team coach Judith
Meulendjiks is hopeful the presence of former Indonesian number
one Mia Audina on her squad will lift her players to a higher
level.
Meulendjiks, who also plays singles on the team, said on
Thursday she was happy to have Mia on the national team. She said
she expected her to compete in the Grand Prix tournament series
for the Netherlands and also represent the country in the Uber
Cup, the sport's most prestigious women's team event.
"I hope we can learn a lot from her as she was the 1996
Olympic silver medalist. Hopefully, she will lift us to a higher
level and will boost our side when we compete in the Uber Cup in
2002," she said.
Mia sparked controversy when she decided to move to the
Netherlands with her Surinamese-born husband Tylio Lobman, who
also holds Dutch citizenship. They married in March.
She was scheduled to represent the Netherlands for the first
time in last week's Singapore Open but the International
Badminton Federation (IBF) ruled her ineligible because she
remained under dual jurisdiction.
The Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) complained to
the IBF that Mia officially left the association on Aug. 12 and
could not play for a new country.
IBF rules stipulate a player can only represent a second
country after residing there for at least three months.
Dutch national team coach Robbie Kneefel said he was unaware
of Mia's training program.
"I didn't have the chance to speak to Mia because we had to
leave for Singapore when she arrived in the Netherlands. But my
training director Martijn Doormalen told me that she might be
able to compete in the Dutch Open, German Open, Danish Open, Hong
Kong Open and China Open."
Mia is scheduled to train with the national team, which also
includes Brenda Beenhakker, at the Netherlands Badminton Center
in Utrecht five times a week. Mia lives in Rotterdam, about 45
minutes from Utrecht.
Kneefel said he first heard rumors of Mia's impending move
about a month ago.
"Actually it's difficult for me because I understood that she
moved to the Netherlands with a little dispute with the
association," said Kneefel, whose parents also come from
Indonesia.
Meulendijks said she would recommend that Mia play in a German
club and compete in the German league.
"In the Netherlands, there are not as many clubs and
competitions as in Germany. I played for Langenfeld together with
Sweden's Margit Borg and Kelly Morgan of Wales. I think it's
better for Mia to consider playing in Germany." (yan)