Shuttler Nunung defies PBSI expulsion order

JAKARTA (JP): Shuttler Nunung Subandoro has insisted on staying at the National Badminton Center in Cipayung, East Jakarta, despite a Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) decision to expel him early last month.

"Up to today I haven't received any letter informing me of my (revised) status at the center. None of the officials have told me I am expelled. My coach only asked me about my future plans," he said last weekend.

PBSI told the media earlier last month that it had expelled Nunung, George Rimarcdi, Mellisa Dewi and Yeni Diah. Two other shuttlers Agnastasia Rosalina and Sandiarto resigned before PBSI issued expulsion letters.

A few days before the PBSI announcement, George said he had resigned from the center to play for a club in Malmo, Sweden.

PBSI secretary-general Leo Chandra Wiranata said PBSI had followed the correct procedure by sending letters to each player's provincial chapter and club.

"We contact athletes through our chapters and we send them back to the chapters. We don't issue letters to the shuttlers," he said.

Nunung said deteriorating conditions at PBSI had forced shuttlers to resign before PBSI expelled them.

"Most players resigned before PBSI issued the expulsion letters because the officials created such a difficult situation for the shuttlers. George was one of the examples. But I don't want to do so. I want to hear from PBSI officials themselves that I am expelled, and I also want to know what they can offer me," said Nunung, who with Marlev Mainaky recently returned from a one-month sparring session at the Nippon Sports Science University in Yokohama, Japan.

National training director Christian Hadinata complained of the players' one-month absence from the center, saying that they should have asked for his permission.

"As center members, they can't just leave the center without my permission and take on a sort of part-time job like that. It's a bad example for other players," said Christian, who was in Copenhagen accompanying Indonesia's Sudirman Cup and World Championships team when both players left for Japan.

But Marlev said: "We wouldn't have gone if we didn't have a permit."

While Nunung said: "We requested written permission from our coach, the official in charge of athletes development and the executive director. We have their three signatures." (yan)