Soerjadi admits to payment problems in badminton body
Soerjadi admits to payment problems in badminton body
JAKARTA (JP): The chairman of the Badminton Association of
Indonesia, Soerjadi, admitted yesterday that there is confusion
regarding the late payment of players' contract money.
"We had a meeting to discuss the matter but I don't have
anything to say now. We'll try to find out where the mistake is
and the situation will then be examined in detail," he said
yesterday at the national badminton center in Cipayung, East
Jakarta.
Some 50 national shuttlers have yet to receive their three-
month allowance from Yonex, a Japan-based sports equipment
company. They should have received the money in late November or
December.
The players protested the association by boycotting the New
Year's party at Soerjadi's house last week.
Soerjadi acknowledged that the players have not received the
money.
"It's true that the players haven't got their money. Based on
the association's files, the players have not received their
money from the August-September-October 1996 contract. It is
recorded in our file," he said.
A reliable source said Wednesday that Yonex had given the
money early July.
The association promised to solve the problem by the end of
this week but it had to wait for the treasurer, Purnomo Sidhi, to
return from abroad.
"The players are not guilty for protesting and the treasurer
is not guilty either. The treasurer said that he had paid 12
payments to the shuttlers. As to which months the payments were
done we will check them further," Soerjadi said.
Purnomo declined to comment on the issue before leaving the
center. He rushed to his car and sped off.
"We have to find out where the problem is. I don't want to
solve one problem but cause another one in the future," Soerjadi
said.
He also said that he would be responsible for the problem.
"The chairman must be responsible for everything and that is
me. I will be responsible if I have every detail of people's
explanations. All I want is some explanations," he said.
Soerjadi is to give a speech to the athletes who are leaving
the country tomorrow to take part in the Japan Open and Korea
Open tournaments next week.
"I'll speak to the athletes tomorrow. I'll brief them on the
problem and how we are going to handle it," he said.
Alan Budikusuma, Ardy B Wiranata, Indra Wijaya, Budi Santoso,
Salim, Nunung Subandoro, Ricky Subagja, Rexy Mainaky, Denny
Kantono, Antonius, Sigit Budiarto, Chandra Wijaya, Rudy Wijaya,
Tony Gunawan, Trikus Heryanto and Flandy Limpele are representing
the men's side in both tournaments.
The women players are Mia Audina, Meiluawati, Lidya
Djaelawidjaja, Ellen Anggelina, Eliza, Zelin Resiana, Susi
Susanti, Finarsih, Minarti Timur and Risyeu Rosalina. (yan)