RI told to turn underdog status to advantage at Sudirman Cup

JAKARTA (JP): Being an underdog must be turned to the advantage of the Indonesian squad in the upcoming Sudirman Cup mixed team event in Seville Spain, says a badminton official.

Chairman of the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) West Java chapter, Lutfi Hamid, told reporters on Wednesday that Indonesia must be able to take advantage of its position as an underdog in the biennial event to be staged at San Pablo Stadium from May 28 to June 3.

"All eyes will be on defending champion China and the 1999 runner-up Denmark. Indonesia must prepare its best strategy in the event to achieve our goal of winning the trophy back.

"Our strength in the Sudirman Cup is very different from that in the Thomas Cup, which is a men's team event. In the Thomas Cup we have a 60 percent chance of winning. I had predicted that we would bring home the trophy at last year's championship.

"But in the Sudirman Cup, we only have a 45 percent chance of winning because we are weak in the women's game. It is the PBSI's task to turn that 45 percent chance into a 51 percent chance, and to win the cup.

The Sudirman Cup -- named after the late Sudirman, Indonesia's former PBSI chairman and deputy chairman of the International Badminton Federation -- features men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles and mixed doubles.

Lutfi -- who successfully lead Indonesia to victory in both the Thomas and Uber Cups on two separate occasions, namely in 1994 and 1996 -- said Indonesia must be able to optimize its strength in the team's line-up.

"Team line-up is very important in a team event. Based on our experience, we have always failed to win the cup due to the wrong strategy."

Indonesia only managed to win the Sudirman Cup when it was played for the first time in 1989 in Indonesia. Two years later South Korea took the cup which it held for two years before China managed to bring home the cup, keeping it until now.

Lutfi urged the PBSI to create conducive conditions at the Indonesian Badminton Center in Cipayung, East Jakarta.

"The officials, especially team manager Karsono, must have a good relationship with the players. If necessary, he must stay in the dormitory for several days a week. It's important to make the players feel that the officials are with them.

"When I was still with the PBSI, I spent two days a week there prior to a major event to know what they (the players) wanted. Officials must also take the shuttlers out to lunch or dinner so as to develop casual communications and make the athletes feel they are being treated as members of the family.

PBSI has been in the spotlight lately, especially given the worsening relationship between chairman Subagyo Hadisiswoyo and world number three men's singles shuttler Taufik Hidayat.

Some senior players have also complained about Subagyo's reluctance to discuss matters and mingle with them.

There have been no special preparations made at the center although the clock is ticking away to the event.

Indonesia's Sudirman Cup team comprises Hendrawan, Taufik, Budi Santoso and Rony Agustinus in the men's singles; Lidya Djaelawidjaja and Yuli Marfuah in the women's singles; Candra Wijaya, Sigit Budiarto, Flandy Limpele, Eng Hian, Tony Gunawan and Halim Heryanto in the men's doubles; Deyana Lomban, Indarti Issoliana, Etty Tantri and Vita Marissa in the women's doubles; and Bambang Suprianto, Minarti Timur, Tri Kusheryanto and Nova Widhianto in the mixed doubles. Indarti and Vita are also to play in the mixed doubles. (yan)