Volleyball World C'ships delayed over debt problems
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Volleyball Association will delay the Ultrajaya Cup Women's Volleyball World Championships scheduled for here next month because of financial problems with promoter Spectrum.
The association's executive director, Rita Soebowo, said yesterday the championship would be delayed until further notice.
The association still expects Spectrum to pay this year's US$18,000 sanction fee to the association and its Rp 25 million (US$9,620) debt to the Kartika Chandra Hotel from last year.
"We have urged the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) to put more pressure on Spectrum to pay its debts. We don't want to be the one taking the risks," she said.
The problem started last year when Spectrum and the association staged the world men's and women's beach volleyball grand prix series.
The championship, which attracted only a few spectators, did not make any money. Spectrum could not pay the sanction fee or the money owed to the official hotel.
This year's World Championship, which was to be from Aug. 1 to Aug. 3 at the Senayan Indoor Stadium, has been advertised in some local newspapers. It was to feature the Netherlands, China, Italy and South Korea.
Rita said the association could not get a new promoter because Spectrum had lobbied the FIVB to be the only promoter since 1995.
"We have sent the letters to the FIVB several times but have yet to receive any response. Our latest letter was sent Tuesday," she said.
"How can it handle a bigger problem, if it can't finish such a small one?" she asked.
Training
Meanwhile, Indonesia's indoor women's team coach, Satoshi Matsunaga, said her players had trouble concentrating on their training because of the problems.
"Their minds and their hearts are not 100 percent on the court. After practice they rarely think about what I teach them, they just forget," he said.
Matsunaga said their technical skills were improving but that they were still slow in defense.
"I'm trying to improve their defense and force them to move faster. I'm going to make them the fastest team in ASEAN so they can beat Thailand at the SEA Games," he said.
He complained that women were not disciplined with their diets.
"They eat like other athletes but always snack in their rooms and eat between meals," he said.
The women's team will probably play Beijing City which will visit Indonesia for 10 days in September.
Men's team assistant coach Gugi Gustaman said his team would have a two-week tryout in China before competing in next month's Universiade (Students' Games) in Sicily, Italy.
"We have improved our weakness in blocking and passing," he said.
The association's chairwoman, Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana, said she hoped the men's and women's indoor and beach volleyball teams would make a clean sweep at the SEA Games, which will be staged here from Oct. 11 to Oct. 19. (yan)