PBSI delays relegation plan

JAKARTA (JP): The Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) has put off the planned announcement of underperforming shuttlers to be released from training at the National Badminton Center in Cipayung, East Jakarta.

Mangombar Ferdinand Siregar, in charge of athlete development for the association, said on Tuesday the scheduled March 1 announcement was postponed until a meeting between his division and the selection committee on Friday.

"The committee will then bring names to the PBSI chairman (Subagyo Hadi Siswoyo) who will then decide which athletes are promoted and relegated," he said.

PBSI originally planned to dismiss senior shuttlers yet to show desired progress in form on March 1 and May 1.

Siregar assured he would object if committee members decided to allow unfitting players to remain in the program.

"We must stick to our commitment to boost our young shuttlers performance because they will replace the seniors," he said.

Nationwide trials have picked several young players for training. They are Vidre Wibowo and Arief Rasidi in the men's singles, Dwi Retnowati, Niniek Masrikah and Atu Rosalina in women's singles, Rossi and Diah Novita in women's doubles, the pairs of Andreas and Luluk and Denny Setiawan and Donny Prasetyo in men's doubles and the mixed doubles team of Nova Widianto and Upi Ch.

Another batch of players to be dismissed will be announced after the Swedish Open and the 1999 All England Badminton Championships this month.

The association sent seven players to the US$75,000 Swedish Open, which is from Tuesday through Sunday. They are Johan Hadikusuma, Indra Wijaya and Ronny Agustinus in the men's singles, Etty Tantri/Cynthia Tuwankota in the women's doubles and Agung Wahyu/Emma Ermawati in the mixed doubles.

They will fly to Birmingham next week to join their seniors in the All England, the sport's most prestigious tournament.

Hendrawan, Budi Santoso, Taufik Hidayat and Marleve Mainaky will compete in the men's singles and Mia Audina, Meiluawati, Lydia Djaelawidjaja, Cindana Hartono and Ellen Angelina in the women's event.

Indonesia is also enlisting its best men's doubles teams of Candra Wijaya/Tony Gunawan, Ricky Subagja/Rexy Mainaky, Antonius/Denny Kantono and Flandy Limpele/Eng Hian.

The women's doubles combination of Indarti Issoliana/Carmelita and mixed duos of Tri Kusharjanto/Minarti Timur and Bambang Suprianto/Zelin Resiana are also entered. (ivy/yan)