Volleyball World C'ships delayed over debt problems

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)