Sponsor not linked to club withdrawal from Kobatama

Sponsor not linked to club withdrawal from Kobatama

JAKARTA (JP): Halim Kediri's sponsor has no hand in the club's
withdrawal from the Indonesian Basketball League, according to
league chairman Budi Rustanto.

"The East Javanese club withdrew simply because it won't hire
import players as stipulated by the league's new ruling,"
Rustanto was quoted by Antara as saying in Surabaya yesterday.

The league -- its first round started yesterday in Surabaya --
is sponsored by cigarette giant Sampoerna. Halim is financed by
Sampoerna's arch rival, Gudang Garam. Rumor has it that league
financier Sampoerna pushed for the new ruling as a subtle way to
expel Halim from the league.

Reiterating that Sampoerna, despite the money it provides,
does not meddle in the league's affairs, Rustanto said he was
sorry to see Halim fall victim to the new ruling.

"Halim is one of the most successful clubs in improving the
quality of local players," Rustanto said.

The new ruling, which requires each club to employ two foreign
players, was applied after the majority of the league's clubs
agreed to it.

Rustanto said Halim was "not angered at the fact that the new
ruling barred it from participating in the league. It understood
that the new ruling was simply an effort to boost the performance
of local players."

Rustanto said the ruling was final. He added, however, that
the Indonesian Basketball Association respects Halim's insistence
on using only local players and would set up "a special
competition for the league's clubs which do not wish to hire
foreign players."

Halim's place was filled by Glory Semarang, the club was
relegated last year. Relegated Glory is the only team that
supports the new ruling which is ready to replace Halim. (arf)