PBSI seeking more cash despite Rp 27b reserve

JAKARTA (JP): The chairman of the Badminton Association of Indonesia, Subagyo Hadisiswoyo, said yesterday that the association's deposits of Rp 27 billion (US$2 million) were insufficient to finance the association's annual activities.

Subagyo said after being installed by the National Sports Council chairman, Wismoyo Arismunandar, that the association would have to spend about Rp 11 billion this year due to the rupiah's downturn.

The association's former chairman, Surjadi, said that the fund stood at about Rp 14 billion last year. It was saved in dollars until last week when it was exchanged into rupiah.

Subagyo said: "The interest is estimated at about Rp 6 billion. But our expenditure will be Rp 11 billion this year. So we still need to earn Rp 5 billion as we won't use the deposit for our routine expenses."

Subagyo declined to mention the amount received from the athletes' contract with the association's main sponsor, Yonex.

The contract is worth $4.4 million for four years from Nov. 1, 1996 to Oct. 31, 2000. The athletes receive $1 million for each of the first two years and $1.2 million a year for the third and fourth years.

The shuttlers recently agreed to double their contribution to the association to 50 percent of their contract fee.

"However, the figure is still not enough to finance our activities. I and the Indonesian Badminton Foundation are working together to raise funds," said Subagyo, who is also the Army's deputy chief of staff.

Due to the limited funds, Subagyo said he had asked the athletes' development deputy, Mangombar Ferdinand Siregar, and the Badminton Training Center director, Christian Hadinata, to determine criteria for the most appropriate training program.

"We'll limit the number of shuttlers in the center for its efficiency to groom them. The number of athletes, the program and the budget must be ideal. The association will see the right form of training in three months," he said.

The association plans to stage decentralized training, despite its centralized program in the center in Cipayung, East Jakarta. Some of the men's doubles will be sent to the Djarum club, West Jakarta.

Christian said that the decentralized training programs would not start at the same time but depended on each club or the association's provincial branches readiness to stage the training.

So far, only Jakarta and East Java branches have expressed a willingness to stage training.

Christian said: "The potential national shuttlers will likely be concentrated to replace their seniors at the center."

Meanwhile, Siregar said that the country's second-string shuttlers must groom their skills in locals clubs or through provincial branches.

"Only the elite players can stay at the center. The talent- scouting department will have to work hard to find substitutes. They must stage more domestic competition to find new talent. We cannot only compete in international events but also have to find new talent," Siregar said. (yan)