PBSI justifies decision to send only 10 players to worlds

PBSI justifies decision to send only 10 players to worlds

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) secretary-general MF
Siregar defended on Wednesday the decision to keep at home half
of the players who qualified for the upcoming World Badminton
Championships.

Siregar said it was not worthwhile sending the low-ranked
women's singles and doubles players to the worlds simply for
international experience, which he believed could be gained from
competing in other overseas events.

"There can be no bargaining about performance when it comes to
the Olympics and the world championship," Siregar told The
Jakarta Post on Wednesday before a meeting to discuss
standardization of national coaching.

"We are only sending those players with a strong certainty of
making the semifinals."

Ten of the 20 players who qualified under the International
Badminton Federation's rankings system are being sent to Anaheim,
California, for the Aug. 15-Aug 21 worlds. The players, plus
eight coaches and officials, will leave on Thursday morning.

PBSI chairman Sutiyoso also justified the selection of the
team during a ceremony at City Hall on Tuesday.

"We have to be target oriented, so if a player is already
certain on paper of being thrashed in the first round, why send
them? ..." he was quoted as saying by Antara news service.

Siregar did not expect any major problems in adjustment for
the players, saying the warm fall weather would be to their
liking. There is also a large Indonesian expatriate community in
southern California, including 2001 world men's doubles champions
Tony Gunawan and Halim Haryanto.

Siregar, whose children live near the venue for the worlds,
praised the arena as an excellent facility but he would not
speculate on whether the country could win its first titles since
2001 in Seville, where Tony/Halim and men's singles player
Hendrawan took top honors.

"We cannot make any predictions yet about who may be champion,
there are too many variables involved. We will have to see when
we get there how the players are performing on court."

The players have been undergoing stepped-up training in recent
weeks, focused on building up their stamina and physical fitness,
honing their shot accuracy and providing mental preparation, the
latter overseen by a team from the Indonesian Army.

Athens Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat may be able to break
the world title drought if he can keep his emotions under control
and repeat the form that led him to defeating Denmark's Peter
Gade, China's world number one Lin Dan and Hong Chen for the
Singapore Open in July.

Talented Taufik is known for his mercurial temperament, and
Siregar said his desire to win was the key factor.

"If he really wants it, there is no question he can do it.
That was why he won in Athens. It's just a question of whether he
wants it that much."

Now 23, Taufik believes his time may be running out to win the
world crown.

"Hopefully, I can succeed, because this may be my last
opportunity. There is no guarantee for the future that I could do
it," he said on Tuesday.

Seeded sixth for this worlds, Taufik lost in the last 16 at
the 1999 worlds, semis in 2001 and quarterfinal in 2003. He is
likely to face second seeded Dane Kevin Jonassen in the
quarterfinals.

At Tuesday's gathering, Sutiyoso also said there would be
"reward and punishment" system for players and coaches who failed
to reach targets.

The coaches should know who their players will meet, and have
a program so they can discuss strategy before the encounter.
Coaches must also closely monitor the condition of their
athletes."
----------------------------
Team:
Taufik Hidayat and Sony Dwi Kuncoro (men's singles); Candra
Wijaya/Sigit Budiarto, Luluk Hadiyanto/Alvent Yulianto, Flandy
Limpele/Eng Hian (men's doubles); Nova Widianto/Lilyana Natsir
(mixed doubles).