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)