Uber Cup vets dropped from badminton camp
JAKARTA (JP): The Badminton Association of Indonesia announced yesterday it has included two Uber Cup veterans among 17 players to be axed from the national elite team as part of its regeneration program for the 2000 Olympics Games.
Chairman Soerjadi said after an internal staff meeting yesterday that the mass dismissal, of Yuliani Sentosa, Yuni Kartika and the other 15 male and female players, was necessary in order to give juniors more chances to improve.
Yuliani was part of the triumphant team in the last two Uber Cup championships, this year and in 1994, while Yuni played in 1994. Another Uber Cupper Lili Tampi and her Thomas Cup counterpart Gunawan also pulled out after both decided to retire.
Both Yuliani and Yuni last played in the German Open last week, but crashed out to little-known opponents in the quarterfinals and semifinals respectively.
"We must do this, otherwise we will not move forward," Soerjadi said, adding that such a measure was taken based on the players' ages, performances and their length of stay at the badminton camp in Cipayung, East Jakarta.
Former junior world champion Kristin Yunita and once promising talent Ika Henny are also on the list of axed shuttlers. Men's players to be sent packing include Lioe Tiong Ping, Aryono Miranat, Arief, Aman Sentosa, Michael Tedjakusuma and Setiadi Hartono.
There are now 80 players left, with most of them possible for the world's biggest sporting meet in Sydney in four year's time.
Joko Suprianto and Susi Susanti head the surviving top flight, but Soerjadi said Indonesia would no longer expect their services after 1998.
By 2000, men's singles Hariyanto Arbi, women's singles Mia Audina and men's doubles team Antonius Irianto and Denny Kantono will be the only old figures left.
"At least 20 Indonesian players must qualify for the 2000 Olympics," Soerjadi said.
Olympic glory
Soerjadi said that the shortlisting marked the beginning of Indonesia's bid to continue its Olympic glory. "We have planned a more transparent program for individual players. We will set up a special team to do this," said Soerjadi.
Despite the Thomas Cup and Uber Cup double, Indonesia suffered a setback in the recent Atlanta Olympics. Only one gold medal, one silver and two bronzes were won, a step down from winning two golds, a silver and two bronzes four years ago in Barcelona.
Training director Iwan Setiawan said that Indonesia has learned a lot from this year's lessons, in which it took on extra tough jobs of retaining both the Thomas and Uber Cups and winning two Olympic gold medals.
"We will face the same situation in 2000, but then the Olympics will top our priorities," Iwan said. He refused to predict Indonesia's gold medal-winning chances in Sydney, but executive chairman Sumaryono hinted that Indonesia would be expected to come home with the same medal collection as it did this year.
The association spends Rp 3 billion a year, with half of the amount used to finance its players' international outings. Sumaryono said that a hike in the association's annual budget looks unlikely prior to the 2000 Olympics. (amd)