RI shuttlers hope for greater percentage of sponsorship money

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian badminton players have to bury their dream of obtaining individual sponsorships as they are currently only able to request a change in the contract money percentage given to the players from the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI).

The chairman of the Players Board, Hendrawan, told reporters on Tuesday, after a closed meeting with the PBSI chairman Subagyo Hadisiswoyo and secretary-general Leo Chandra Wiranata, that so far, collective sponsorship remains the best option.

"The August to October term of the 1996-2000 contract will be divided based upon the old regulations as some players still possess rights for the money."

"But we will improve the old system in contract money percentage based on each discipline. The men's singles, men's doubles and mixed doubles will all get more compared to the women's singles and doubles as the first three disciplines all managed to reach the final of the 2000 Olympics in Sydney," said Hendrawan, accompanied by deputy Candra Wijaya.

"The second option is to refer to the world ranking list made by the International Badminton Federation (IBF). During preparation for the Olympics, many of the juniors' ranking were upgraded to qualify them for the quadrennial event."

"Starting in the new three-month term from November 2000 to January 2001, the PBSI will refer to the IBF ranking. They will be divided into three categories; the top eight players, ranked between nine and 16, and players outside the top 16."

"The PBSI will also change the term in order to evaluate the athletes' form from once every three months to once every six months. Our rankings won't drop drastically if the evaluation takes place every three months."

Hendrawan said athletes would be prepared if the PBSI turned down their suggestions.

"This is the best thing we can do right now. If players urge for the professional system, they (officials) will remind us of how we had to struggle in very beginning."

The 28-year-old badminton player expressed disappointment with his juniors who were afraid about not receiving any sponsorship money.

"We should be thinking about how to become world champions rather than thinking about our contract money with sponsors. But my juniors have started to think that they now deserve the money. They should be thinking about how to fight hard in order to get the money," said world number two Hendrawan, who only receives US$4,000 and Rp 16 million quarterly.

The PBSI receives $1 million from the Japanese sports equipment producer Yonex every year. Fifty percent of this deal goes to the PBSI while the other half is received by the players.

Players have called upon the PBSI to allow them to seek individual sponsorships. They have also promised to allow the PBSI to cut their income, but not by more than 50 percent.

They also complained about the one-sided deal which only allows companies who can offer more than $300,000 to get the co- sponsorship deal.

Former world champion Joko Suprianto, who is coaching the juniors, said that the 50 percent cut of the athletes' contract reflects the lack of effort that the PBSI officials are making in actively looking for co-sponsors.

"If they work well, I still believe we can gain more sponsors."

Subagyo argued that the PBSI has been in negotiations with national carrier Garuda Indonesia but has yet to reach a deal.

"In principal, we don't mind athletes obtaining co-sponsors. If the PBSI can earn from sponsorship deals, 50 percent of the money will go to us. But if players can obtain sponsorship, they will receive 75 percent while we only earn 25 percent." (yan)