Total overhaul demanded to revive badminton pride
Total overhaul demanded to revive badminton pride
JAKARTA (JP): A total overhaul in the training of Indonesian badminton players is crucial if they are to win gold medals in the 25th Olympic Games in Atlanta, noted sports observer Mangombar Ferdinand Siregar believes.
The former training director of the Badminton Association of Indonesia spoke up yesterday after learning about the departure of all five Indonesian men's singles competitors before the semifinals of the All England championships currently underway in Birmingham.
Siregar, who claims to be an insider of the badminton body, said that uncommunicated problems between coaches or team managers and players might have contributed to the current setback, which is the worst performance ever by Indonesian shuttlers in badminton history.
The five are top seed and former world champion Joko Suprianto, world champion Hariyanto Arbi, Barcelona Olympic gold medalist Alan Budikusuma, former world silver medalist Hermawan Susanto, and 1992 winner Ardy Wiranata.
To add insult to injury, Uber Cup heroine Mia Audina also went down 0-11, 12-10, 11-1 to little known Chinese player Dai Yun, leaving Susi Susanti as the only Indonesian survivor in the women's singles.
"These results leave me at a loss as to what we should do in order to secure the men's singles gold medal in Atlanta," Siregar said.
"I believe that our mixed doubles as well as our world number one men's pair of Rexy Mainaky and Ricky Subagja can make it in Atlanta. But our chance in the women's doubles looks dim while in the women's singles we will depend entirely on Susi and Mia."
Indonesia swept the two singles gold medals in Barcelona through Alan and Susi.
Siregar blamed the badminton body for not treating injured players properly.
"I heard Mia complaining of 'strange sounds' from her injured thigh. But her coach and doctor said she was okay and was ready for the All England," the 68-year-old observer said.
He said that Hariyanto is another Indonesian player susceptible to injury. On Thursday, he crashed to South Korean Park Sung-woo, who has just recovered from a torn Achilles tendon.
"I wonder if Hariyanto has fully recovered from his injury?" Siregar queried.
Discipline
Siregar said the shuttlers need more personal disciplinary measures which their supervisors do not seem to care about. "Have they ever controlled what time they go to bed so that they can wake up fully refreshed for another day's workout? What about food? Who cares whether or not they need food supplements?"
Supervisors should be careful not to give players the impression they are just machines exploited to produce gold medals, said Siregar, also project manager of the Indonesian team for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
He also surmised that national players have become bored with their regular life at their training center in Cilangkap, East Jakarta.
"I don't exactly know what caused the ennui. But the players have been training there for years. They just train and train. There's no recreation and no efforts to refresh the situation."
Siregar also noted that there are what he calls "natural problems" such as more commitment to spouses and the future rather than to rigorous training.
"I will not be surprised if Susi has begun thinking of marriage and making a living and thus, can no longer fully concentrate on her badminton career," he said. (arf)