Sudirman Cup players protest tough training
Sudirman Cup players protest tough training
JAKARTA (JP): With less than three weeks to the Sudirman Cup
and World Championships, several men's singles shuttlers have
complained about the rigors of a physical training program
organized by the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI).
The 1999 All England finalist Taufik Hidayat told The Jakarta
Post and Kompas daily on Wednesday that he worried the program
might affect his speed or cause injury.
"It doesn't make any sense to me that PBSI is forcing us to
have the physical training with only two weeks to go. I'm afraid
I will get injured with the harder training," he said.
PBSI called up physical trainer Tahir Djide on Monday to
provide extra training to prepare the shuttlers for the Sudirman
Cup and the World Championships, to be held in consecutive weeks
in Copenhagen from May 10 to May 24.
Taufik, 19, spoke emotionally of not being able to stand the
training, especially when Tahir ordered him to stretch his
injury-prone back.
"I cried because I tend to have back injuries if I force my
training. I can do what he says but I won't be able to play in
both events. Is this what PBSI wants from me?
"I told doctor Michael (Triangto) that I couldn't handle this
kind of exercise," he said, referring to the association's
doctor.
Taufik, world ranked 12, will compete in both events with
1998 Asian Games silver medalist Hendrawan and 1998 Indonesia
Open finalist Budi Santoso.
Taufik preferred to concentrate only on the World
Championships.
"With Budi and Hendrawan on the team, I'll focus on the World
Championships. But I'll be ready for the Sudirman Cup," he said.
Budi, ranked third in the world, seconded Taufik's protest.
"The time is too short to have physical training. We are
worried that we will get injured. The physical training just
started two days ago and I think we can't follow it 100 percent."
He believed the two-week-period should be used instead for
maintenance training.
Tahir also expressed surprise at PBSI decision's on timing of
the training, saying it should have been started three months
ago.
"We lack time for the physical training, but that's what PBSI
wants me to do. How can I prepare them to reach their best in a
very short time?"
PBSI vice chairman Agus Wirahadikusumah defended his decision.
"Pak Tahir is a very experienced physical trainer and I am
sure that he has arranged his program as needed by PBSI and he
has also considered our need and the limited time," he said.
"A physical trainer is always disliked by athletes because the
training is always hard."
"I hope Pak Tahir can provide the proper training for our
shuttlers and they will be physically fit for both major events."
Agus said he told the shuttlers not to complain too much with
the hard training, saying he was not fully really satisfied with
their form in recent international tournaments.
"Maybe they are protesting because they know well their
condition. But maybe they are wrong because I think their stamina
and fighting spirit are very bad," he said.
Agus said he planned to take the national squad for a two-day
rest at a resort in Lido, West Java.
Indonesia has registered Hendrawan, Taufik, Budi and Hariyanto
Arbi in the men's singles, and Mia Audina, Cindana, Ellen
Angelina and Lidya Djaelawidjaja in the women's singles for both
events.
The men's doubles teams of Candra Wijaya and Tony Gunawan,
Ricky Subagja and Rexy Mainaky, Antonius and Denny Kantono and
Flandy Limpele and Eng Hian will also join the squad.
Women's duos of Elysa and Deyana Lomban, Indarti Issoliana and
Carmelita and Cynthia Tuwankotta and Etty Tantri and mixed pairs
of Tri Kusherjanto and Minarti Timur, Bambang Suprianto and Zelin
Resiana and Wahyu Agung and Emma Ermawati are also included.
PBSI is to stage a competition simulation at the Armed Forces
headquarters in Cilangkap, East Jakarta, on Friday and at the
Indonesian Badminton Center in Cipayung, East Jakarta, on
Wednesday. (yan)