Tennis manager brands games selection unfair
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)
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)