Poor results will not cost coaches

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)