Retno Kustijah resigns from badminton center
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's women's singles coach Retno Kustijah officially resigned from the National Badminton Center on Monday. Retno said she resigned because she wanted to focus more of her attention on her club, Jaya Raya, where she felt more needed.
"I think the club needs me more than the center. However, I have brought my players to the international stage," she said in a telephone interview.
Retno, better known as Kus, once coached the 1996 Olympic silver medalist Mia Audina, world No. 7 Cindana Hartono and a newcomer, Yuli Marfuah.
Since Mia and Cindana joined the 1998 Uber Cup team, Retno had only three athletes; they are juniors Yeni Dyah, Melissa Dewi and Yuli.
The Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) decided early this month to expel both Yeni and Melissa due to their stagnant achievements in international junior events.
But Yuli was promoted to the seniors, under supervision of coach Liang Chiusia, due to her victory in the 1999 Singapore satellite.
Yuli herself was shocked by the decision.
"I was really shocked when Mbak Kus told me on Saturday that she wouldn't coach me anymore starting today. I was really sad, I miss her. All this time she has taken me to the Ragunan sports school to spar with Jaya Raya men's singles," she said.
A source said Retno was unsatisfied with the training system in the center as she had only three athletes while Chiusia had five. The source also said Retno had just one court to practice on while Chiusia had three.
During the Uber Cup team preparations, Retno had to take her three athletes to Ragunan as they were not allowed to practice at the center.
"Some people complimented her, saying she was creative, but I think it's a way to send her out from the center nicely," the source said.
Retno, who partnered with Minarni to win the 1962 and 1966 Asian Games gold medals, said she had handed her resignation letter to center training director Christian Hadinata on Saturday.
"I told Christian that I was sorry to leave the center and I had written the letter on March 31, but I kept delaying my intention to resign. Now I think it's the right time," said Retno, who along with Minarni won Indonesia's first women's doubles title in the 1968 All England competition. Retno's assistant, Lany, also resigned following Retno's decision.
But Christian denied that he had received a resignation letter from Retno.
"She didn't tell me she would resign. She only said she wanted to concentrate on her club. I told her to make an official resignation to the chairman," he said.
PBSI secretary-general Leo Chandra Wiranata also said he had not yet received a resignation letter.
Meanwhile, PBSI plans to send 29 athletes to the Malaysia Open in Kelantan from June 30 to July 4. They are men's singles Jeffer Rosobin, Johan Hadikusuma, Rony Agustinus, Indra Wijaya and women's singles Meiluawati, Cindana and Yuli Marfuah.
Men's doubles Candra Wijaya/Tony Gunawan, Flandy Limpele/Eng Hian, Denny Kantono/Antonius, Halim Heryanto/Imam Tohari and women's doubles Elysa Nathanael/Deyana Lomban and Cynthia Tuwankotta/Etty Tantri will also take part in the event.
PBSI plans to field mixed doubles specialists Bambang Suprianto/Tri Kusherjanto in the men's doubles and Zelin Resiana/Minarti Timur in the women's doubles despite their specialty in the mixed.
Jeffer, Rony, Johan, Indra, Ellen, Meiluawati and Yuli will directly head to Bangkok for the Thailand Open from July 7 to July 11.
Men's doubles Hermono/Ade Lukas, Endra Mulyajaya/Hadi Saputra, Halim Heryanto/Wahyu Agung, women's doubles Elysa/Deyana, Angelina de Pauw/Vita Marissa and mixed doubles Wahyu Agung/Emma Ermawati, Imam/Vita will join them in Bangkok.
Both tournaments are to be used for warming up before the 20th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Brunei Darussalam from Aug. 7 to Aug. 15.(yan)