PBSI insists current contract still the best

JAKARTA (JP): The Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) secretary-general, Leo Chandra Wiranata, insisted on Wednesday that the ongoing collective sponsorship system for players was still the best option to support athletes' needs.

Leo was responding to Olympics gold medalists Candra Wijaya and Tony Gunawan's call to allow players to seek individual sponsorships.

Leo said by having collective sponsorships, PBSI had so far collected Rp 35 billion (US$3.7 million) over four years from Japanese sports equipment producer Yonex.

"We must differentiate the positive and negative sides of both systems. With individual sponsorships, only elite players can strike a deal while juniors or non-elite shuttlers will get nothing. Never expect our women's shuttlers to get a $10,000 contract," Leo said, referring to Indonesian female shuttlers and their poor form in the last two years.

"With a collective contract, PBSI has had an income of Rp 35 billion within a four-year term and players also get their equipment."

Leo also emphasized that the sponsorship issue would be the most crucial concern if it was brought up at the association's national plenary congress in December 2001.

"The decision to change the sponsorship system could make Indonesian badminton better or worse. Therefore, it should be discussed at the congress by involving members of PBSI."

"If all players want to get individual contracts, how can PBSI maintain the facilities at the Indonesian Badminton Center? We must study this thoroughly."

PBSI chairman Subagyo Hadisiswoyo offered four options to players during their discussion last week. The first option is rearranging the percentage of contract money between players and PBSI, the second is players can look for co-sponsors under the agreement with Yonex of $300,000 per year, and the third option is players can look for individual sponsors but can still stay at the center. The last option is that players turn profession. (yan)