Shuttlers want Agus in their corner ahead of major event

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian shuttlers have requested Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) vice chairman Agus Wirahadikusumah to be more active in preparing athletes for the upcoming Thomas and Uber Cups championships in Kuala Lumpur in May and the Olympic Games in Sydney in September.

The shuttlers board chairman, Rexy Mainaky, told reporters on Wednesday that shuttlers needed a role model like Agus who was willing to pay attention to, listen to and understand them.

"We don't mean to compare Pak Agus with Pak Subagyo (Hadisiswoyo, PBSI chairman) but we need him to boost our motivation prior to the three upcoming important events," he said after practice at the Indonesian Badminton Center in Cipayung, East Jakarta.

"So far, we don't have a role model who pays attention to us. We fail to fully concentrate because we feel none of the existing officials want to spend time on us. Officials can't blame us for talking to journalists or people who are not PBSI officials."

Agus, an Army major general, was recently appointed Army Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) chief on Feb. 28. Agus, who is still in Makassar where he is posted as the Wirabuana/Sulawesi Military Commander, has been absent from his activities as PBSI vice chairman.

Rexy said PBSI needed to be reformed soon.

"Athletes have always been blamed for losing in tournaments. Officials always say that we are undisciplined in our daily activities and training sessions," he said.

"They blame us for wasting people's money. They say the limited funds were used to send us to tournaments of which the results really disappointed them."

"None of the shuttlers want to lose in tournaments. But if they keep telling us that, we lose our motivation and spirit to fight."

Rexy said athletes were willing to change their attitude if officials did the same thing.

"Officials must be willing to work hard to create togetherness among athletes, coaches and officials. They can't ask the shuttlers board to discipline athletes. If we do so, it means we're PBSI officials in charge of athletes development."

Rexy urged PBSI to take action on the badminton project officer Sumaryono who has been inactive during the program since his appointment last year.

"Pak Sumaryono has never appeared in the center since his appointment and he never pays any attention to athletes. PBSI officials must take action either to retain or replace him."

Expectation

Sumaryono acknowledged that his tight schedule prevented him to come to the center as often as the shuttlers expected.

"I have many business problems which need to be taken care of. My presence in the center is merely to support the athletes' morale to do their best. I personally have a target to be more active as the project officer as soon as the Olympics team is announced. I promise to spend more time here. I don't really care about the results. The most important thing is to work hard first," he said.

So far, Indonesia has been qualifying Taufik Hidayat (world ranked number four) Marlev Mainaky (five) and Hariyanto Arbi (12) in the men's singles; Lidya Djaelawidjaja (15) and Cindana (16) in the women's singles; Candra Wijaya and Tony Gunawan (two) Ricky Subagja and Rexy Mainaky (five) and Flandy Limpele and Eng Hian (nine) in the men's doubles; Elysa Nathanael and Deyana Lomban (eight) in the women's doubles; and Tri Kusheryanto and Minarti Timur (three) and Bambang Suprianto and Zelin Resiana (five) in the mixed doubles.

Sumaryono said many athletes had come to him, asking him to visit them more often in the center.

"Some of them came to my house asking me to visit them here. I hope in the remaining three or four months, I can still work together with athletes, the coaches and PBSI officials to reach our goals in the Thomas and Uber Cups championships and the Olympics," said Sumaryono, former PBSI executive director.

Sumaryono said at Wednesday's meeting with the National Sports Council (KONI) vice chairman, Arie Sudewo, that they reflected on the inconducive situation in the center.

"Athletes, coaches and officials fail to work together well. They are not bonded to each other. This factor needs to be changed right away," he said.

Sumaryono also plans to move the training center to outside Jakarta for several weeks after the Japan Open next month in order to change the training atmosphere.

"I want athletes to concentrate more on their goals and to increase their discipline by moving the training program to outside Jakarta."

Meanwhile, Arie said the meeting concluded that the Indonesian shuttlers failure this year in the Korean Open, Chinese Taipei Open, All England and Swiss Open was because of a lack of athletes' technical, nontechnical and physical qualities compared to other countries strong in badminton.

"PBSI needs to consider this failure as a challenge to overcome and it must consolidate with all parties in the body, including athletes, coaches, officials and management," he said. (yan)