PBSI tells chapters to reactivate tournaments

JAKARTA (JP): The Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) is urging its provincial chapters, especially outside Java, to reactivate local tournaments to provide players from local clubs with more experience.

"Badminton clubs are the grassroots in the sport's development. Therefore, we must empower them by staging more competitions, and help improve their financial circumstances," PBSI secretary general Leo Chandra Wiranata told reporters on Tuesday.

"The clubs can, for example, award a bigger share of the prize money earned by their players abroad. We can lower the share for the PBSI and its chapters."

Leo was responding to requests made by officials and coaches from non-Javan chapters during the Interclub National Badminton Championships in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan last week that the PBSI should organize more tournaments outside Java.

Many of them blamed the PBSI's centralized development program for denying the chance to non-Java-based shuttlers of reaching a higher level of achievement.

"Most shuttlers are concentrated in Java and there are always several events held each year in Java. In Central Java alone, there are events in Pekalongan, Purwokerto, Semarang, Surakarta and Tegal," Leo said.

"Shuttlers from other chapters can easily reach the competition venues due to ease of transportation."

"In the 1980s, Java used to organize some 26 to 30 events each year to give the players more experience."

Financial ability was also pointed to as one of the reasons for the lack of tournaments outside of Java.

"Not all chapters outside of Java have the financial wherewithal to stage their own tournaments, not to mention national events," Leo said.

"Organizing a local event needs a lot of money. The cost will increase if there are participants from other provinces."

Leo expected the implementation of regional autonomy to bring better times financially to the PBSI's chapters with them gaining a greater say over their own affairs.

"The wealthy regions can hire better coaches and provide better facilities for their shuttlers. They can even send their shuttlers abroad," he said.

"But this could also cause jealousy, especially among the not- so-wealthy regions with less resources."

By having more tournaments, national shuttlers -- those being groomed in the Indonesian Badminton Center (PBI) in Cipayung, East Jakarta -- will be expected to defend their clubs in national championships.

But Leo said it would be impossible to dissolve the center as it was used to groom shuttlers for major international events.

"The PBSI has the responsibility to produce world-class players who can reach the top. We are under constant pressure to be the best."

"That's why we have to keep the center open all year round to prepare our national squad. Without consistent preparation, other countries will easily see off our shuttlers."

"Other nations, such as China, Malaysia and South Korea have even copied our system and turned out to be our most difficult opponents," Leo continued. (nvn)