Top shuttlers urge officials to explain missing money

By Primastuti Handayani

JAKARTA (JP): The country's top shuttlers are urging Badminton Association of Indonesia officials to disclose the whereabouts of unpaid sponsorship and prize money and the details of new contracts with sponsors.

A reliable source, who requested anonymity, said yesterday that all the 50 shuttlers who boycotted the New Year's party last week had many problems with officials, particularly over the deal with Yonex, a Japanese sports equipment company.

"It's not merely money; there have been many problems among players, coaches and officials. It's also about our participation in tournaments and about our rights," the source said.

The source was sure that the association's chairman, Soerjadi, and the association's executive director, Sumaryono, were not to blame as they only received reports from their subordinates saying that everything was under control.

The 50 players who have yet to receive their August-to-October allowances from Yonex include women shuttlers Susi Susanti, Mia Audina, Lidya Djaelawidjaja and Cindana, and Joko Supriyanto, Antonius, Denny Kantono, Ricky A Subagdja, Rexy Mainaky, Jeffer Rosobin, Budi Santoso, Sigit Budiarto, Indra Wijaya and Chandra Wijaya from the men's squad.

"We should have received the money in November, or at the latest in December. But we still haven't been given it. Some officials say that the association never has enough cash to pay us," the source said.

But Yonex said that the company sent the checks for the 1996 contracts in July.

The source said that two players, including a player who was demoted from the training center, have yet to receive their prize money for reaching the German Open semifinals in 1995.

"Yuliani Sentosa and Lidya have not yet received their money. Yuliani is not here anymore and the association did not give her anything when she was dismissed," the source said.

All prize money goes from the International Badminton Federation to the association. The national body takes 25 percent of the cash and gives the rest to the players.

An new IBF rule says that every player must receive their money within two weeks of the end of an event. The IBF will have to pay late fine to players who are not paid on time.

Money

The source said that each shuttler only receives Rp 70,000 (US$29) per month from the association, of which Rp 30,000 is deducted for laundry expenses.

They also receive various amounts from their clubs. Indonesia's top shuttler Susi Susanti, for example, receives Rp 400,000 per month from her club, Jaya Raya.

The source said that while the nation's badminton queen receives Rp 21 million to Rp 25 million from Yonex every three months, "Players whose national ranking is below 16 only receive Rp 1.7 million from the sponsor every three months out of their allocated US$3,000 (Rp 7.15 million)."

No senior association officials were available for comment yesterday to explain what happens to the remainder of the money.

Yonex

The source said that Yonex often demands that players wear their products during practice and tournaments.

"But how can we use their products if we only receive the equipment just before a tournament and not regularly."

Yonex provides two T-shirts, two rackets and one or two pairs of shoes for each player before for a tournament.

In one year each top shuttler usually only participates in eight of the 19 Grand Prix series tournaments.

Citing an example, the source said that last year Susi should have received eight new rackets from Yonex. But she only received two rackets and decided not to use them

Yonex was upset and assured Susi that it sent eight rackets to Jakarta via its branch in Singapore. Later in the year the Singaporean office had to hand over another six rackets to Susi personally.

The Indonesian association said at the time that it did not want to hand them all over because, according to a spokesperson, it did not want to make other players jealous.

"I understand that boycotting the party was wrong but we just wanted to attract the officials' attention," the source said.

The association has promised to solve the problem this week but the treasurer, Purnomosidi, is abroad. The prize money from the Grand Prix Finals in December in Bali is expected to arrive today.