Rudy Hartono nominated as referee at Malaysia Open
Rudy Hartono nominated as referee at Malaysia Open
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian badminton great Rudy Hartono was
nominated the official referee of the US$180,000 Malaysia Open in
Johor next July.
Malaysia's New Strait Times daily reported on Sunday that the
organizing committee of the Malaysia Open championships chosed
Rudy, an official of the Badminton Association of Indonesia
(PBSI) and a member of the International Badminton Federation
(IBF) honorary council, was aimed at attracting Indonesian stars
to join the six-star grand prix meet.
The nomination was made at a meeting held by the committee
chaired by Hashim Harun of the Johor badminton association,
following a doubt that Indonesian players will be reluctant to
make a trip at the fourth Asian world grand prix stop staged at
Johor as they were afraid of any possible retaliation by
Malaysian fans.
Malaysian Thomas Cup squad was troubled against Indonesian
fanatic crowd in its title defense attempt here last month,
crashing to a 0-3 defeat. IBF honorary referee Roger Johansson
stopped the match, following disruptive gestures by home fans.
Rudy was unavailable for confirmation yesterday as he is
accompanying Indonesian shuttlers to the Asia Cup invitational
championships in Beijing which will kick off today.
A PBSI official Lutfi Hamid, in an attempt to ward off the
rumor about Indonesian shuttlers' absence in Johor, said
yesterday his side will likely parade a full team at the event.
"It is a big tournament. We will not waste much time to settle
our fear of home fans," Lutfi, who was Indonesian Thomas and Uber
Cup team manager said.
Indonesian shuttlers produced a men's singles All-Indonesian
final on their way to sweeping three titles at last year's
edition of the world's most lucrative badminton event in Kuching.
World badminton queen Susi Susanti, top-flight men's doubles of
Ricky Subagja and Rexy Mainaky completed Ardy Wiranata's victory
over compatriot Hariyanto Arbi.
World number one Joko Suprianto, All-England reigning champion
Hariyanto and world number two pair of Ricky and Rexy are the
only Indonesia's big names to watch at Beijing's inaugural meet
which offers a total of $120,000 cash prizes up for grabs. (amd)