PBSI warns shuttlers not to falsify ages

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) has reiterated its warning against age falsification and has threatened stiff punishment for offenders at the ongoing Samsung SGS Cup in Bandung, West Java.

The five-day tournament, which began on Tuesday, features 700 athletes. They have come from badminton training centers and clubs throughout Indonesia.

Among the participants are 20 junior players now undergoing a national workout at the Cipayung Training Center.

PBSI secretary-general Lufti Hamid said besides a talent scouting team, an age-monitoring team had also been assigned to the tournament to check on the players.

"We will not tolerate age falsification because it damages national badminton development," he told reporters here on Tuesday. He was accompanied by marketing general manager of main sponsor Samsung Electronics Indonesia Lee Kang-hyun.

Lufti referred to the widespread age falsification when he recalled last year's clampdown, in which the association put as many as 73 athletes on the blacklist, four eventually being dismissed.

"This year, we adopted something of a compromise by allowing six months for players to rectify their birth date data. But that was only up to the first of July.

"Afterwards, any mistakes in the data will be deemed a violation and offenders could face punishment," Lufti said.

The Samsung SGS Cup will also serve as the last tournament after which the badminton association will decide five junior athletes to be recruited to the national team for the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

"We have been monitoring them since the Jakarta Open early this year. We want an Olympics team that is represented not only by senior but also by junior players," Lufti said.

Lufti said that selection had been made from a shortlist including the national junior team, which won the Asian Championship early this month in Kuala Lumpur, and newcomers.

"Those outside the national team who have shone in tournaments are eligible to form a team," Lufti said.

Badminton is the only sporting discipline on which Indonesia can still rely for realistic gold medal prospects.