Tennis body to decide fate of Benny Wijaya

Tennis body to decide fate of Benny Wijaya

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Tennis Association has summoned
its Jakarta chapter to a meeting scheduled for this afternoon to
learn what the chapter has to say about the doping scandal
involving Benny Wijaya.

A senior official with the association, Eddy Katimansah, said
that later in the evening, the association's 11 top brass,
including Eddy himself, are expected to attend a closed-door
meeting to decide Benny's fate.

Former national men's singles No. 1 Benny, who won two gold
medals in both the men's team and individual tennis competition
at the 14th National Games last month, tested positive for the
banned stimulant heptaminol acefyllinate.

His urine samples that tested positive, however, were taken
after he finished the team competition. The other samples, taken
after he finished the individual competition, were clean.
Cariamyl, the patent name of the medicine Benny took, left no
trace eight hours after it was ingested.

Previously, in a hearing with the chapter, Benny was quoted by
Jakarta's sports governing body chairman Kusnan Ismukanto as
saying Benny got the banned medicine from a pediatrician who has
treated his rhinitis since his childhood. The pediatrician was
apparently unaware of the list of banned substances in connection
with the Games.

Eddy said he believed Benny was innocent of any wrongdoing.
However, because a banned substance had been found in his urine,
Benny is, at any rate, subject to punishment.

According to the International Tennis Federation's rules and
regulations, the punishment for such an offense is a three-month
suspension starting from the date such a decision is made, Eddy
said.

Eddy, who is in charge of the association's foreign affairs,
said he would inform the International Tennis Federation about
Benny's case only after learning the results of the association's
meeting this evening.

Meanwhile, a member of the Games' anti-doping commission,
Wismiyarti Tamin, said she regretted doping expert Dangsina
Moeloek's comment that Yogyakarta's female shooter, Inca Ferry,
could file a lawsuit against the commission for failing to
include fenflouramine, which Inca tested positive for, on the
list of banned substances it issued.

Dangsina said even though the substance had been declared
illegal by the International Olympic Committee, Inca should
escape punishment because it was not listed as such by the Games
organizing committee.

Dangsina referred to a similar case at the Southeast Asian
Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand last year, in which a Thai shooter
tested positive for beta blockers but was declared innocent
because the substance, which induces a slower heartbeat, was not
on the list of banned substances issued by the Games' organizer.

Wismiyarti, who is also chairwoman of the national doping
laboratory, said Dangsina should not have suggested that Inca
bring the case to the court.

If Inca does and she wins, the two silver medals she earned at
the Games will remain in her hands. It would also be the first
doping case in Indonesia which goes to court. (arf)