PBSI sends warning letter to Mia Audina

PBSI sends warning letter to Mia Audina

JAKARTA (JP): The Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI),
for the first time in its history, has issued a warning letter to
one of its shuttlers. PBSI sent the letter to number one women's
singles Mia Audina on April 7 for undisciplined behavior.

PBSI chairman, Subagyo Hadisiswoyo, said on Wednesday that he
had yet to decide on a sanction for the 19-year-old shuttler and
would wait for her to return from the Netherlands.

Coach Liang Chiusia said earlier that Mia had asked for
permission to stay in the Netherlands after competing in the All
England championships to marry Surinamese boyfriend Tylio Lobman
last month.

But PBSI deputy in charge of athletes development, Hadi Nasri,
denied the allegation, saying Mia did not ask for permission
prior to her departure for the All England.

"She didn't say a word to officials here. She just said to her
coach that she would get married. If she had asked for
permission, we wouldn't have said no," he said.

With only a month to go to the Sudirman Cup and the World
Championships in Copenhagen next month, Mia has yet to show up at
the National Badminton Center in Cipayung, East Jakarta, for
training.

Hadi said PBSI had yet to name the team members for the
Sudirman Cup and still had no idea whether Mia would be ready to
compete in two major events in two consecutive weeks.

He also said PBSI would still observe Mia's form in several
tournaments.

"If she doesn't show any commitment to the sport and has poor
form, there's nothing else we can do but have her sent out of the
center," he said in a telephone interview.

In a meeting between PBSI officials and coaches, Chiusia said
she had to train Mia at least for a month.

"Mia must show up at the center, at least by April 7, which is
today. But she is still not here," Hadi said.

Separately, Mia's father, Rivan Tjiptawan, said he was waiting
to receive the letter from the association.

"I support PBSI's decision to send the letter because of Mia's
undisciplined behavior. But I think the All England team manager,
Hadi Nasri, must also be sent a letter," he said.

Rivan urged PBSI to start looking for Mia if the association
wanted to save the shuttler from damaging her career.

Rivan's relationship with his younger daughter was on bad
footing in 1997, before Mia met Lobman. He was against Mia's
marriage, saying that Lobman was not the right man for his
daughter. (yan)