Thomas and Uber delay 'allow time to prepare'
JAKARTA (JP): State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Hayono Isman said yesterday that although the postponement of the Thomas and Uber Cups championships would allow more time to prepare Indonesia's squads, it would also disturb the schedule of international tournaments.
"If the championships have to be delayed due to Asia's economic turmoil, it will generally disturb international badminton tournament schedules," Hayono said after signing a memorandum of understanding at the Ragunan sports complex.
The International Badminton Federation (IBF) is optimistic the championships can be staged on time, which are scheduled in May in Hong Kong, despite doubts that Indonesian cigarette company, PT HM. Sampoerna, can afford the US$1 million sponsorship to stage the events.
If the championships are moved to South Korea, another candidate, they would take place in January 1999.
"Our team has to focus more on the 13th Asian Games in Bangkok in December as it is our main target in the last period of the Sixth Five-Year Development Plan. We aim to improve our ranking at the Asiad from the 11th to, at least, sixth position," Hayono said.
"However, our men's and women's teams would gain from a delay as they could then better prepare for the events.
"But I hope the IBF can find other sponsors to avoid the championships from being delayed. The IBF still has time as the championships take place in May."
Indonesia won both the Thomas and Uber Cups in Hong Kong two years ago when it defeated Denmark on the men's side and China on the women's side.
Meanwhile, the National Sports Council chairman, Wismoyo Arismunandar, said he would speak to the Badminton Association of Indonesia's chairman, Subagyo Hadisiswoyo, to discuss the problem of a possible delay.
"I have not yet received any information about this but I'm sure Pak Bagyo will be able to overcome the problem," he said.
Wismoyo also said he would help the Indonesian Tennis Association pay for a foreign coach as long as the association could promise to win two golds at the Asiad.
"To become a champion takes a lot of money. I will help the association if it can promise to win, let's say, two golds. I don't want to pay for nothing. But so far, the association has not come to me for further discussion," he said.
The association cannot afford to pay Austrian coach Gebhard Gritsch's salary of $8,500 per month.
In the 19th SEA Games here last year, the Indonesian women's team beat top seed Thailand to win the team's and the singles' golds thanks to Gritsch.
Hayono, Wismoyo, Minister of Education and Culture Wardiman Djojonegoro and Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso signed the memorandum to hand over the new gymnastics hall, diving pool, synthetic track and a dormitory at the complex.
Indonesia received a Rp 10 billion (US$1 million) donation from the Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund of Japan to build the buildings.
World ranked 26th tennis player Yayuk Basuki, 1983 world champion shuttler Icuk Sugiarto, 1996 Olympic gold medalist shuttler Rexy Mainaky were among athletes who graduated from the Ragunan sports school. (yan)