Only 3 entries for Junior Indonesia Open
Only 3 entries for Junior Indonesia Open
JAKARTA (JP): Only Japan, Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam have
confirmed their participation in badminton's Milo Junior
Indonesia Open in Surakarta, West Java, this month.
Meanwhile Russia, Hong Kong and Canada have yet to submit the
names of their players.
The event's organizer PT Gematama Kreasindo president director
Minarni Soedarjanto told a press conference on Friday that the
three countries were concerned about Indonesia's tense political
situation, especially after the House of Representatives called
on the People's Consultative Assembly to hold a special session,
scheduled for Aug. 1, to demand that President Abdurrahman Wahid
account for his administration's performance.
"Russia, Hong Kong and Canada are afraid to come here. I even
spoke to Badminton Association of Thailand chairman Charoen
Wattanasin, who said he might not send a team due to the tension.
"Even Chinese Taipei, which had confirmed, had to cancel their
participation because they had problems requesting visas," she
said.
Minarni, a badminton star in the 1960s, also said that
badminton powerhouses China, South Korea and Denmark would not
send their teams for the June 12 to 16 event.
"We have offered the Badminton Association of China airplane
tickets and accommodation but they still don't want to come."
However, Minarni was still hoping that more countries would be
willing to participate, and said that she would wait for
confirmation before the drawing takes place on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Indonesian Badminton Center junior coach Joko
Suprianto said that the absence of badminton powerhouses would
give his athletes a great chance of winning the US$9,000 event.
"With the absence of the strong countries, our shuttlers
should be able to prove their skills by winning the titles. But
we must also realize that the absence of those countries will
reduce the event's prestige," he said.
Joko also said the tournament would be used to select a team
for the Junior Asian Championships, to be held in Taipei in
August.
"We are also aiming to pick the best mixed and boys doubles to
join the team from the tournament as we no longer have juniors in
both events at the center," Joko said.
Joko praised Milo and the Badminton Association of Indonesia
(PBSI) for staging the event after a four-year dormancy.
Indonesia's number one junior shuttler Sonny Dwi Kuncoro -- a
2000 Junior World Championships and 2000 Junior Asian
Championships finalist -- hoped to be able to win the boys title.
"Playing before the home crowd will give me an advantage and I
will work hard to fulfill my aim to become champion," he said.
PT Nestle Indonesia's beverage vice president Muhammed Hamza
also hoped that the event would produce future champions for
Indonesia and help promote badminton in general.
"We also aim to be associated with badminton through a long-
term sponsorship deal," he added. (yan)