Poor results will not cost coaches

JAKARTA (JP): The chairman of the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI), Subagyo Hadisiswoyo, dismissed speculation on Monday that some coaches would be fired over Indonesia's disappointing performance at the recent Asian Games in Bangkok.

Subagyo said that all members of the coaching staff would keep their positions with the national team.

"We're still in need of their services and I believe they can improve their skills and knowledge," he said after officially opening a national coaching course.

PBSI vice chairman Agus Wirahadikusumah, who led the badminton team to the Games in Bangkok last December, had blamed certain coaches for the team's poor performance and said they should be held responsible.

Indonesia won gold medals in the men's team and men's doubles competitions, but missed golden opportunities in men's singles and women's doubles.

At the time, Agus said the PBSI would terminate the contracts of coaches who were considered hopeless.

Agus was not referring to men's doubles coach Atik Jauhari, who nevertheless resigned shortly after the Games. Atik moved to Sweden, saying that he wanted to be near his children who are studying and playing badminton there.

Subagyo said Atik's resignation had nothing to do with Indonesia's failure to impress at the Games.

"It was a personal decision. I couldn't do anything to stop him," Sugabyo said.

The PBSI employs 14 coaches. However, three of them -- Alan Budikusuma and Joko Suprianto in men's singles, and Paulus in mixed doubles -- do not hold coaching certificates.

The deputy chief of athletes development at PBSI, Mangombar Ferdinand Siregar, said that the association's coaches were qualified to guide Indonesia's shuttlers to the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.

"It's too risky to replace them now, with only a short time left to prepare for the Olympics. Instead, we will hold courses on several disciplines for them," Siregar said.

The first course, which opened on Monday and will run until Feb. 23, is being attended by 41 coaches.

Siregar said that coaches from provincial training centers under the auspices of the PBSI were included in the course, which will focus on scheduling training programs, analysis and evaluation of competitions, and physical training.

The National Sports Council will provide some mentors for the courses.

Men's singles coach Agus Dwi Santoso welcomed Subagyo's statement, saying that dismissing the coaches who had helped groom the country's badminton players would be unfair, and could even hurt the shuttlers.

"PBSI should not forget the contributions the coaches made to the country. It's unfair if they are fired just because of one mistake," he said. (yan)