Remember its just a game

Hariyanto Arbi, Susi Susanti and company have undoubtedly done the nation proud. They completed a rare double for Indonesia by winning the Thomas and Uber Cups -- badminton's most prestigious team competitions -- over the weekend, much to the delight of the people in this badminton-crazy country.

The Thomas Cup, which had eluded Indonesia's grasp for the past decade, returned to the country for a record ninth time when the home team overwhelmed holder Malaysia 3-0 on Saturday night at Senayan indoor stadium. The night before, the Susi-led squad cracked open the Great Wall of China with a nail-biting 3-2 win over the six-time champions to lift the Uber Cup for the first time in 19 years.

A raucous partisan crowd of over 12,000 that had the stadium bursting at the seams went wild in greeting the tremendous victories of their favorite shuttlers.

The return of both cups to Indonesia after long, arduous and winding roads overjoyed the entire nation.

For Indonesians, from ordinary citizens to the President, the cups represent more than just symbols of badminton supremacy, they form part of the nation's dignity and pride. This is especially so because the Thomas Cup has stayed here longer than in any other country; for more than two decades to be exact.

While we congratulate the victorious Indonesian teams, we are sad to say that the triumphs would have tasted sweeter had it not been for the unruly behavior of the home crowds.

We believe that Indonesia, the odds-on favorite to win the Thomas Cup, could have landed the title without such fiery fan support, given that it has six of the world's top 10 players. This fact was readily conceded by Malaysia's team manager Punch Gunalan, who said after the final that his charges were defeated by better players.

The Malaysians were even reduced to receiving their runners-up medals from International Badminton Federation president Lu Xenrong in their dressing room out of concern for their personal safety.

The Malaysians had been the favored targets of derisive boos and jeers from the zealous, and at times, intimidating hometown fans. Plastic bottles were hurled at the Malaysian players during the final. The fans continued to harass the Malaysians by banging on the door to their dressing room, prompting Gunalan to say later: "Indonesia has already won. What else do they (the crowd) want? Our lives?"

The rowdiness displayed by the partisan crowd, who delighted in baiting and harassing Indonesia's opponents throughout the tournament, has incurred the wrath of the teams from Malaysia, South Korea and China. South Korea has even threatened to boycott future international events held in Jakarta, including the Indonesia Open, one of the legs of this year's badminton circuit sanctioned by the IBF. And to top it off, IBF president Lu Xenrong has lashed out at the Indonesian organizers for their failure to exercise crowd control.

She warned that in the future the IBF will carefully consider Indonesia's applications to host major tournaments, taking security into account before making a final decision.

This has indeed put Indonesia at a disadvantage. Moreover, it would appear that Indonesia's shuttlers must now be ready to face similar treatment abroad, especially in Kuala Lumpur where the badminton fans are as rabid as their Indonesian counterparts. Malaysia's supporters will certainly reply in kind for what the Indonesian spectators did during this year's Thomas Cup.

It is quite deplorable that Indonesia's double win has been marred by those passionately overexcited fans. Everyone likes to win, but we should all remember that the eyes of the badminton world are upon us, and any prestige gained by victory could easily be tainted by any untoward incidents.

Being first in sports is but one aspect of national pride and prestige. We must not forget the importance of being gracious hosts and affording our guests every courtesy during their time here. After all, Indonesians are generally well-known abroad for their hospitality and good manners. But it is sad to note that the behavior of the home fans at Senayan indoor stadium over the past 10 days was just the opposite.