Tennis manager brands games selection unfair
JAKARTA (JP): National tennis team manager Benny Mailili griped yesterday over double standards applied by the National Sports Council in selecting athletes for the upcoming Asian Games.
Benny said the council would only foot the bill for strong medal prospects for the Games, but would allow other athletes to go to Bangkok if their respective sports organizations had enough funds to cover their expenses.
"How could they assess an athlete's chances of winning medals? Tennis players' rankings, for example, cannot explain their medal winning opportunities," Benny complained.
He was commenting on the council's statement that Yayuk Basuki, the world's 29th ranked woman, was the only tennis player to meet its strict standards. However, it said it would let Yayuk herself decide which events she would compete in, meaning that she could recommend two additional tennis players if she wishes to play in women's doubles and mixed doubles.
Benny also complained that the council has repeatedly supported the sending of the national soccer team, despite the fact it has never won international laurels since taking the Southeast Asian Games gold in 1989. The council's chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar said Indonesia should compete in the Asiad soccer because of the sport's popularity.
"I suggest that the council just announce which sports we will take part in the Asian Games. We will accept whatever decisions they take," Benny said.
Despite the council's plan to pick only Yayuk, the Indonesian Tennis Association continues grooming four male and four female players for the quadrennial event.
They are regular Davis Cup men's team quartet of Andrian Raturandang, Febi Widiyanto, Sulistyo Wibowo and Bonit Wiryawan. On the women's side, Wynne Prakusya and Liza Andriyani have been chosen to join Yayuk.
"Apart from Yayuk, I believe Sulistyo and Bonit can win at least the men's doubles bronze," he said.
Due to financial difficulties, tennis body has terminated the contract of American coach Matt Wheeler.
The association's deputy secretary-general Subiyanto said Tuesday Wheeler had stopped coaching since Aug. 1, just three months after his appointment to the country's Davis Cup coaching job.
"We can no longer afford to pay his salary, which cost us Rp 5 million (US$385) per month," Subiyanto said. He was quick to add that Wheeler's departure would not adversely affect the association's preparations for the Davis Cup Asia Oceania Zone second play-off match in China next month and the Asian Games in December.
Wheeler was part of the national squad which lost 2-3 to Lebanon in the Davis Cup first round play-off in Beirut last month. He took over from Austrian Gebhard Gritsch, whose one-year contract was not extended for the same reason.
Under Gritsch, Indonesia hauled three gold medals in the 19th Southeast Asian Games here last year.
Subiyanto said local coaches would take Wheeler's place. "We will push our coaches to work harder ahead of the two major events." (yan)