Three basketball stars set to quit SEAG training

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Basketball Association's preparations for the October SEA Games (SEAG) have been severely disrupted by resignation requests from three of the 20 players participating in the centralized training program.

Andre Posuma and Hardono want to concentrate on their studies while Oei Theng Khun wants to oversee his family business.

Andre, who attended yesterday's practice at the Senayan Basketball Hall, said that he could not aford to leave the STIE Swadaya economics college as he has to finish his thesis. He said he could be dismissed if the thesis is not submitted next year.

"I told Cecep (Firmansyah, the coach) Tuesday and he suggested I submit an official resignation letter to the association," Andre said.

Hardono and Theng Khun did not show up at yesterday's practice.

Another reason for Andre's decision is his objection to the association prohibiting players from appearing in the national Kobatama league during the training program, which runs until the Games begins on October 11.

"If we miss the competition because we have to concentrate on the training, what will happen to our status as club players? What will happen if our teams win, will we also get the bonus? I do not think the association has considered this," he said.

He denied that his resignation is because of differences with the Russian coach Nikolai Arkhipov, who trains the men's team with Cecep and Abdulrahman Padang.

"His coaching methods are a little different but all the players can adapt. The problem is that we waste time because he can't speak English well and we don't understand his instructions", Andre said.

The association planned to provide a translator for the training but has not done so.

The SEA Games training director Djoko Pramono said during a visit to the basketball training center yesterday that he has not heard of any resignation requests.

"If any players want to resign, I'll have to speak to the officials. Today I haven't seen any of them wanting to quit," he said.

Djoko said that the association is considering moving the women's training from Jakarta to Surabaya as most of the women come from Surabaya and have problems joining the training because they have to sit their final examinations.

"If the association agrees, I suggest we move the training camp to Surabaya. Most players and the coach are from the city. It won't be a problem for me as long as the association can still control the training," he said.

Meanwhile, Indonesia's top table tennis player Anton Suseno urged the Indonesian Table Tennis Association to change its Games training program.

The association always send athletes to train in China but they never have had adequate sparring partners, Anton complained.

"We always only meet juniors during the stints," he said yesterday.

The association plans to send the national team to China in February or March for several weeks before they take part in the World Championships, which is to be staged in May in Manchester, England.

After the championships, the athletes return to China for final preparation for the Games.

Anton said that the association must invite internationals from East European countries or China to spar with Indonesia's national athletes.

"After the sparring, the association must then send us to Grand Prix series events to assess our improvement," he said.

According to Anton taking part in the series is very important as it improves players' world rankings.

"If I can't improve my ranking, I don't want to go to the World Championships. My rivals are much better," he said.

Anton is ranked 107th while the Indonesian men's team is ranked 29th.

"If the athletes take part in the Grands Prix and we can improve our rankings, I'm sure the association and the country will be very proud and it can boost the development of table tennis," he said. (yan)