Shuttlers to help Banten flood victims
Shuttlers to help Banten flood victims
JAKARTA (JP): World-class national shuttlers hope to raise as
much as they can in a charity match and memorabilia auction
titled Atlet Peduli (Athletes Care) at the Siliwangi stadium in
Bandung on Saturday.
The event organizers' chairman Sigit Budiarto and the 1997
men's doubles world champion Candra Wijaya told a media
conference at Hard Rock Cafe on Wednesday that they did not have
a specified targeted amount to be raised during the event, but
expressed hoped that many visitors would buy the collectables.
"We just want to raise as much as possible to be donated to
natural disaster victims. For the first step, we'll hand the
funds over to flood victims in the Banten area together with
RCTI," he said.
Among the memorabilia to be on sale are the racket Candra used
when he won the 2000 Sydney Olympics gold, Ricky Subagdja's
racket when taking home the 1996 Atlanta Olympics gold and Taufik
Hidayat's racket when reaching the 2000 All England final.
Candra said: "I hope people will honor my achievement in the
Olympics and want to spend their money to donate."
The charity match will feature a men's singles match between
Taufik, twice All England finalist in 1999 and 2000, and Olympics
silver medalist Hendrawan.
Candra and Sigit will play the men's doubles and will ask
spectators to play against them. While Olympics silver medalists
Tri Kusheryanto and Minarti Timur will also play against
visitors.
"The doubles match is merely to give a chance to badminton
fans to join us on court. It won't be a real match but mostly
entertainment," Candra said.
"We are still looking for sponsors to help us cover the
expenses."
The event is jointly sponsored by RCTI, Djarum cigarettes,
Barito Post, BOLA sports tabloid, South Kalimantan-based Bina
Benua Group and Yonex.
Both Candra and Sigit said the idea came from the shuttlers to
help the victims as an expression of their gratitude to badminton
fans throughout the country who had supported them in
international events.
"We realize that Indonesian people have always prayed for us
when we compete abroad, wishing us success. It is time for us to
pay them back for their support," Sigit said.
He hoped that shuttlers would be able to regularly stage
similar events in the future.
"Hopefully, when we're off season, we'll have time to raise
funds for the needy in the country."
About 8,000 spectators are expected to flock the stadium.
Tickets are Rp 20,000 (US$2.10). (yan)