Provinces demand better chances for their shuttlers

Provinces demand better chances for their shuttlers

BANJARMASIN, South Kalimantan (JP): Badminton officials from
out-of-Java provinces demanded better opportunities for their
shuttlers in order to catch up with Java-based players while at
the same time admitting a wide gap of achievement between Java-
based and shuttlers from the rest of the country.

Interviewed separately on the sidelines of the Inter-club
National Badminton Championship at the Hasanuddin HM Sport Hall,
they told The Jakarta Post that their shuttlers basically had
similar skills but the lack of facilities and practice partners
halted their chances of improving their skills.

"What we need are more national or even international
tournaments staged outside Java to encourage our shuttlers to
gain more experience by facing different types of players," said
Haruna Daeng Tayang of South Sulawesi.

"Makassar is ready to stage big badminton events such as the
Indonesia Open as we have all the required facilities."

The organizing committee chairman, Lt. Col. Syahnan, had said
at Tuesday's opening that more events staged in provinces outside
Java would boost motivation to provincial shuttlers.

Badminton officials also criticized the Badminton Association
of Indonesia's (PBSI) centralized way of managing the Indonesian
Badminton Center in Cipayung, East Jakarta, as well as other
local training camps.

"Why can't PBSI set up a training camp in Makassar for the
Eastern Indonesian region? The camp could accommodate shuttlers
from all over Sulawesi, Maluku and Irian Jaya," Haruna said.

"PBSI has also never recruited shuttlers from the eastern part
of the country despite their good achievements. They should be
given special consideration without sacrificing any technical
requirements."

Haruna was referring to the case of Fitria Firdaus who was not
invited to play at the World Junior Championships in Guangzhou,
China, in November although she won the zone B badminton
qualification in Surabaya.

Syahnan, vice secretary of PBSI South Kalimantan branch, also
supported a more decentralized approach for non-Java-based
players.

"If there are already several camps in Java, why can't PBSI
set up another in Kalimantan. We can accommodate players from all
over the island."

Lutfi Hamid, chairman of PBSI West Java branch, strongly urged
PBSI to give priority to the recruitment of shuttlers outside of
Java at the national center.

"As long as a shuttler is born or belongs to a branch of a
club outside Java, he or she should automatically be admitted to
the training center. It's burdensome to PBSI but they will have
to do it otherwise the gap will widen."

"A wide distribution of able shuttlers will eventually benefit
PBSI because it will create more competition than there is at the
moment." (nvn)