PBSI to set up fact-finding team on 'match fixing'

PBSI to set up fact-finding team on 'match fixing'

JAKARTA (JP): The Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI)
will set up a fact-finding team to investigate allegations of
match fixing during the US$150,000 Sanyo Indonesia Open at the
Senayan Tennis Indoor Stadium in July.

PBSI secretary general Leo Chandra Wiranata told reporters
Wednesday that the investigators would interview players,
coaches, umpires, referees and association officials.

"The letter from the International Badminton Federation (IBF)
dated Aug. 4 gave us two days to get all facts about the
allegation. It's really difficult for me to fulfill their demand.
I told them that I could only reply to them within one or two
weeks," he said.

IBF sent a letter to PBSI in reference to a letter of
complaint made by England head coach Lars Sologub, who allegedly
suspected match fixing in the women's doubles match between
Indarti Issoliana and Vita Marissa and Olympic qualifiers Etty
Tantri and Cynthia Tuwankotta.

He also alleged match fixing in the mixed doubles between
Indarti and Halim Heryanto and Olympic qualifiers Tri Kusheryanto
and Minarti Timur.

The letter said that the non-Olympic qualifiers intentionally
lost to the qualifiers to improve the latter's world rankings
prior to the deadline of the IBF latest rank on Aug. 31. The
latest rankings will become a reference for the Olympic drawing.

PBSI official in charge of athletes development Mangombar
Ferdinand Siregar said Tuesday that Indarti did not intentionally
lose.

"She injured her ankle before competing. Therefore she failed
to perform at her best. She failed to compete in the Malaysian
Open next week because of the injury," he said.

In an unrelated matter, Leo said the Badminton Association of
England's performance director Finn Traerup-Hansen had requested
PBSI to send two men's doubles players as practice partners for
the Britons.

Denny Kantono and Andreas Setiawan will train with the English
team at the Gold Coast from Sept. 3 to Sept. 11. Each of them
will receive 50 pounds sterling (US$76.5) allowance per day.

Separately, PBSI executive director Karsono said the
organization would try its best to solve the dispute with its
West Java chapter on the ban of Olympics qualifiers at the 15th
National Games in Surabaya in June.

"PBSI chairman Subagyo Hadisiswoyo had requested a meeting on
Aug. 15. The meeting will be attended by Subagyo, official in
charge of athletes development Pak Siregar, official in charge of
organizational affairs Pak Koesdarto Pramono, Pak Leo and West
Java chapter chairman Pak Lutfi Hamid."

"The chapter sued PBSI to pay a compensation fee for Rp 132
million (US$15,530). I just hope the chapter and the association
will be able to solve the problem peacefully."

Speaking on the chapter's threat to bring the problem to the
court, Karsono said the chapter had decided against that avenue
and would try to solve the problem internally. (yan)