Yes the Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) have found Hendra Wijaya and Hendri K Saputra unfit to remain in the National Team. They failed to satisfy their fitness targets despite repeated warnings although these targets were not unreasonable, admitted Hendri. Last November, the two shuttlers even lagged behind the national women's team in a 3-km run.

This is a great blow to Singapore's aspiration to qualify for the Thomas Cup Finals in Jakarta this August. It appears that last year, Hendri's twin brother, Wandi and China's San Qingqing were also dropped for poor performance.

It is particularly sad for Hendra, 19, who won a bronze medal in the 2002 World Junior Championships and a silver in the Asian Junior Championships 2002 and seemingly has a bright future ahead of him. Hendri, 23, also had some success when he partnered Denny Setyawan to win the Waikato International (NZ) and Western Australian Invitational last year. Both of them came to Singapore in 2000 and were given permanent resident (PR) status two years later. Both will return to Indonesia soon.

But SBA policy on foreign-born athletes is that receiving citizenships or PRs is no guarantee that they can remain in the national team. They still have to meet the standards set by the SBA. The SBA have also given a number of players ultimatums to pass a fitness test on Feb 5 or face the consequences. I hope Ronald Susilo is not one of them!

A spokesman for the SBA said, "Fitness is a fundamental part of top-level sports. No matter how skilful a player can be, if he has no fitness, he will not go far."

What do you think? Are pros supposed to maintain in a tip-top condition to be in the national team? Is the action by SBA correct or too drastic?

lol, maybe having too much of the good life

Sounds like they're not giving those athletes enough motivation to keep in shape. Heh! Probably too many distractions in Singapore:p.

Originally posted by cappy75
Sounds like they're not giving those athletes enough motivation to keep in shape. Heh! Probably too many distractions in Singapore:p.

Any other interesting motivations apart from cash?

Well, I think even hired guns of good quality should be retained with sufficient amount of 'respect':p. Guess SBA wasn't paying enough to keep them motivated.

Now if they're locals and they're groomed right at the start... then individual aspirations and nationalistic pride will be other motivations as well. Otherwise, they will just take the money and let it slide. More to the point, were those hired guns of high enough quality to justify 'adopting' them?

But Ronald Susilo has got a gf, thankfully champion table tennis player instead of badminton. She may be an inspiration instead of a distraction! So Ronald won't get the sack as he is not a tt player. And our Commonwealth ladies singles badminton champ, Li Li also got herself an escort, thankfully again he is not a shuttler!

Originally posted by cappy75
Well, I think even hired guns of good quality should be retained with sufficient amount of 'respect':p. Guess SBA wasn't paying enough to keep them motivated.

Now if they're locals and they're groomed right at the start... then individual aspirations and nationalistic pride will be other motivations as well. Otherwise, they will just take the money and let it slide. More to the point, were those hired guns of high enough quality to justify 'adopting' them?

You have a point. Nationalistic pride is an important motivation indeed. Those "hired guns" must be of good quality otherwise they will not be considered by the SBA in the first place. But being foreign imports, do they have that pride to win for Singapore? There may be a difference between a foreign talent who has aqcuired citizenship and those who only obtained PRs.

As I have said, Hendra has shown so much promise and he is only 19, but he has confessed he hates running and admitted that he has been warned many times. Actually the SBA have invested quite a bit in these pros, Hendra in particular and I'm sure that they are rather sad to have to make such a decision.

As regards incentives, I'm not sure about the details, but I would expect them to be acceptable. If they win big tournaments, they will get bigger rewards. Nowadays much is based on productivity, better bonuses for they who performed better, I suppose.

Would it matter much for athletes if their significant others are in the same sport? What really count is their ability to focus and be emotionally balanced when they perform, so it shouldn't be too much of an issue for shuttlers to date one another.

Originally posted by cappy75
Would it matter much for athletes if their significant others are in the same sport? What really count is their ability to focus and be emotionally balanced when they perform, so it shouldn't be too much of an issue for shuttlers to date one another.
So long it doesn't affect their performance. But you probably agree that boy/girl relationship is rather sensitive and fragile. Sometimes disruptive and short. What happens if there is a breakup?

Tony Gunawan once told me at their level, fitness and stamina could determine between a win and a loss ....... because they all have the shots

I have a friend who played Peter Gade and got beaten quite quickly and said to me that after that that Peter had better shots but the biggest thing was his superb fitness and his agility and stamina on the court.

In some ways, I think the decision to drop those players from the team was too harsh, as Wijaya had a bright future, but in some ways, they've gotta keep their standards to do well internationally.

Originally posted by cappy75
Would it matter much for athletes if their significant others are in the same sport? What really count is their ability to focus and be emotionally balanced when they perform, so it shouldn't be too much of an issue for shuttlers to date one another.

Just a followup to my previous comment. Can you remember the Peter Gade/Camilla relationship? I thought Gade was devastated with the breakup and coupled with injuries, he took a long time to recover and is never his real self again. Remember too how embarassing it was to him to be treated a 'wild card'!

I think the coaches and officials are trying to discourage such a relationship to prevent the players concerned from being distracted later by personal problems and therefore lose sight of their professional goals. Let's hope Chen Hong and Gao Ling will know how to 'pace' themselves and remain focus on the TC/UB and Olympic goals.

Originally posted by Loh
You have a point. Nationalistic pride is an important motivation indeed. Those "hired guns" must be of good quality otherwise they will not be considered by the SBA in the first place. But being foreign imports, do they have that pride to win for Singapore? There may be a difference between a foreign talent who has aqcuired citizenship and those who only obtained PRs.

As I have said, Hendra has shown so much promise and he is only 19, but he has confessed he hates running and admitted that he has been warned many times. Actually the SBA have invested quite a bit in these pros, Hendra in particular and I'm sure that they are rather sad to have to make such a decision.

As regards incentives, I'm not sure about the details, but I would expect them to be acceptable. If they win big tournaments, they will get bigger rewards. Nowadays much is based on productivity, better bonuses for they who performed better, I suppose.

our nation's policy of hiring foreign talent in the sports arena is backfiring. as you can see, Hendra is taking things for granted as he maybe thinking that he's of some quality and substance and so if he didn't bother to show much effort in his training, it's still be all right coz he's a foreign talent needed by some other country. to get the PR status doesn't prove his loyalty to the adopted country; it is just a mean to get the foreign talent to represent our country instead of true allegiance of loyalty.

fitness is the darn most impt factor in any game. any opponent can try to tire you out if you don't possess good fitness. he's only 19, and should be more energetic and hardworking. even if he dun like to run, that shouldn't be an excuse to lag behind in fitness exercise. he must understand that running is part of the fitness regimen, and i'm sure that he's well aware of that than laymen.

we may have the monetary power to pay them a lot, but we still can't change their mentality and personality. and it may even spoil them more as they may take the huge salary for granted.

if he himself isn't putting much effort in bucking up his fitness, let alone taking part in competitive matches, and even let alone winning them.

and therefore, though the decision is tough and embarrassing, we should axe him from the team for the good of other professionals. he isn't a good example for others to follow.

I can't imagine an elite athlete being kicked off for being lazy...

they've worked so hard and through skill and chance managed to get there, and now they're too lazy to run a few hours a week? It just doesn't sound right.

It can happen if the competition for a place in the team is not that strong. Probably there are no other potential candidates in sight, or they are not at his level even if he is not fit.

Originally posted by Loh
...
As I have said, Hendra has shown so much promise and he is only 19, but he has confessed he hates running and admitted that he has been warned many times. Actually the SBA have invested quite a bit in these pros, Hendra in particular and I'm sure that they are rather sad to have to make such a decision.

As regards incentives, I'm not sure about the details, but I would expect them to be acceptable. If they win big tournaments, they will get bigger rewards. Nowadays much is based on productivity, better bonuses for they who performed better, I suppose.

Hiring young players with potential is a good idea. They raise the level of the game in the country and also bring more attention from the media when results are achieved. But the environment is also very important. The team spirit, the competition for a place in the team, the team mates abilities, I think all contribute to the success of the player(s). Hendra's situation might not have happened if the competition for a place in the team was stronger.

Originally posted by viver
Hiring young players with potential is a good idea. They raise the level of the game in the country and also bring more attention from the media when results are achieved. But the environment is also very important. The team spirit, the competition for a place in the team, the team mates abilities, I think all contribute to the success of the player(s). Hendra's situation might not have happened if the competition for a place in the team was stronger.

Yes Viver, I also share your view that the environment is important. Unfortunately for Singapore, competition for a place in the National Team is not fierce enough. That was why the foreign talents were imported as one of the means, I believe, to stir up greater interest in the game at a higher-level. But none of our Singapore-born players are good enough to come close to their standards, except for Kendrick Lee, who himself was bogged down by National Service. So, I guess the foreign imports took things too easy.

The foreign players were supposed to set the standards (including fitness), but from
the recent reports, they were the ones who were a let down by not being able to pass their fitness test, even after several warnings! Only Ronald Susilo, who is now a citizen and who turned pro after his secondary education in Singapore, perhaps has greater pride in donning National colours.

But in about four years' time, when our first batch of sports school students graduate, the competition should be keener! So I guess we have to be more patient.

Hmm, maybe they should start doing psychological tests on the players before hiring them.

Does anyone know what the fitness target for the 3-km run was?

I don't think straight running like this is the best measure of badminton fitness, but I guess it's done because it's the easiest to administer. And if they knew what the standard was and wanted to play for the team, then they should have concentrated on meeting it.

Well, maybe they can try some other country that has easier standards.:)

So soon after xmas too, no doubt that xmas turkey is a major factor :)

Originally posted by Californian
Does anyone know what the fitness target for the 3-km run was?

I don't think straight running like this is the best measure of badminton fitness, but I guess it's done because it's the easiest to administer. And if they knew what the standard was and wanted to play for the team, then they should have concentrated on meeting it.

Well, maybe they can try some other country that has easier standards.:)

I don't have any numbers for the 3km run. I did I did run (long time ago) 3.2km in about 11 mins.

I agree with you that running is not the best measure but it is a very good tool to evaluate your general conditioning. If you are not fit you can't perform your best - fitness is also part of your technique.

...I think with imported talents, the key is to find their motivation factors. Over here, using the National Hockey League as an example (especially the Canucks), we used to have this very talented hockey player from Russia who is basically is here for the money (doesn't believe in the team game, plays for himself and the $$$) but we also have others who believes in playing for the team and is not worried about the $$ (after all, the lowest paid player is earning 10 as much as the average person here).

In this case, if money is the motivation factor, then the contract should be tied to performance so that there is no doubt that if they don't perform, they don't get paid.

More details are revealed today that four more youngsters, all males, may have to leave the National Team if they fail to beat the time of 11min 30sec for singles and 11min 40sec for doubles, for the 3 km run by the next test next Thursday.

Two of them are local boys, Alvin Fu and Khoo Kian Teck and the other two are Indonesians, Robert Sugarra and Rocky. It appeared that the previous two "sacked" Indonesian imports, Hendri and Hendra, could not even beat the women's team top runner, Aiying, who clocked 12min 11sec. These four men players failed to meet the test conducted earlier in November.

Apparently, Ronald Susilo did the run in under 11min and World No. 1, Chen Hong, was even better at below 10min!

Sports Medicine Specialist, Dr Ben Tan, himself an Asian Games sailing gold medalist, commented that the time targets by the SBA "is reasonable as it works out to 9min 12sec over 2.4km and a fit badminton player should have no problems with that". "While shuttlers do lots of sprints, they need the long-distance runs to build a foundation. Tecvhnical skill can make up for poor fitness only up to a point." "Once you reach the top level, you must have both fitness and technical skill."

But the SBA may be a little lenient if the four boys show some improvement. I certainly hope the boys can make it.

Here's the article from The Straits Times Interactive :

Even slower than the girls

By Peh Shing Huei

THEY can smash harder, leap higher, and sport bigger, better sculpted muscles than their ponytailed counterparts.

But, when it comes to running, the tables are turned.

Some of the men in the national badminton squad are so slow that they even lag behind the girls, including 14-year-old Xing Aiying.

So the Singapore Badminton Association have sent two Indonesian-born players - Hendri Kurniawan Supatra, 23, and brother Hendra Wijaya, 19 - packing after their embarrassing fitness tests last November.

Both were slower than the women's team top runner, Aiying, who clocked 12min 11sec over three kilometres.

Hendri has already gone back to Indonesia while Hendra will leave at the end of next month when his contract expires. Both are Singapore permanent residents.

Now, four more boys could join Hendri and Hendra if they fail the test next Thursday.

Indonesian imports Robert Sugarra and Rocky and local boys Alvin Fu and Khoo Kian Teck all failed to meet the requirement set by the SBA - 11:30 for the men's singles players and 11:40 for the doubles.

Said Robert, 18, who clocked more than 12 minutes: 'I don't know if I can make it. It's very tough. But I must try, right?

'If I really fail and they kick me out, then maybe I will stay on here to study. I haven't really thought about it.'

Singapore's top shuttler Ronald Susilo covers the 3km in under 11 minutes, and world No 1 Chen Hong does it in less than 10.

Besides the run, the Singapore players are also tested over 400 metres.

Asian Games sailing gold medallist Ben Tan, now a consultant sports physician with the Changi Sports Medicine Centre, does not think SBA's standards are too stringent.

He said: '11:30 is reasonable. That works out to 9:12 over 2.4km, and a fit badminton player should have no problems with that.

'While shuttlers do lots of sprints, they need the long-distance runs to build a foundation. Technical skill can make up for poor fitness only up to a point.

'Once you reach the top level, you must have both fitness and technical skill.'

Said SBA executive director Jacqueline Lim: 'Even if the four boys can't meet the mark next month, they must show some improvement.'

Said Alvin, 18: 'I want to remain part of the national team because it's always been my dream. Even if I run till I die, I must do it.'

Frankly, I find it rather disturbing to discover that some of our National players are found to be unfit when they are paid to do the job as professional athletes.

Granted that badminton players are no runners and some may hate running especially the long distances. But we all know that running is an essential part of the game and in this age, badminton matches could be gruelling and last for more than a hour. This is when the fitter player will have the upper hand if he has bags of stamina cultivated through long distance running - it will really make a difference. I don't think that the SBA, with the help of the Sports Council, set unrealistic targets for the players as it is not in their interest to do so, having spent so much time, money and effort on training them in the first place.

Obviously those who can run faster and cover longer distances will show up to be fitter and they may well be the better players as proven in Ronald Susilo, the highest ranked in Singapore. Yet Ronald is not as fast as Chen Hong, to whom he has lost several times in the past. Speed and stamina is perhaps one of the reasons why Ronald lost and he should develop this further and become fitter to take on the best in the international field.

Fitness also helps to reduce injuries to oneself. No matter how good a player is, it is useless if he has to abandon a game because of injury. Maybe that's one reason why Chen Hong is better now with his fitness as we know he was down with a back injury not too long ago. So too was Gade. Hafiz Hashim, who created Malaysian badminton history by winning last year's All England after 37 years, was out of action for a few months because of a wrist injury suffered during a third-round match against Lin Dan at the Hong Kong Open last October. He is now desperately trying to make it back to the Thomas Cup team to prepare for the TC qualifiers from February 17-22 in Kuala Lumpur.

Running is only just a part of the whole regimen of fitness training. To be able to stay on top a good player must be able to withstand the constant 'pounding' demands on his physical fitness that is so typical in badminton. The earlier our young national players realise this the better. Therefore, it is incumbent on them to remain in tip-top physical condition always if they want to remain as top professionals.

Originally posted by seven
Here's the article from The Straits Times Interactive :

Both were slower than the women's team top runner, Aiying, who clocked 12min 11sec over three kilometres.

Said Robert, 18, who clocked more than 12 minutes: 'I don't know if I can make it. It's very tough. But I must try, right?

Singapore's top shuttler Ronald Susilo covers the 3km in under 11 minutes, and world No 1 Chen Hong does it in less than 10.

He said: '11:30 is reasonable. That works out to 9:12 over 2.4km, and a fit badminton player should have no problems with that.

Said Alvin, 18: 'I want to remain part of the national team because it's always been my dream. Even if I run till I die, I must do it.'

I have to agree with him 11.30 ain't that tough for 3 km, I was thinking it was something ridiculous like 9 mins. Anyone with aspirations of being a world class male athlete in a heavily aerobic sport that requires running as a component should be able to do that by the time they are 16 (unless they have freaky skills and reflexes). Those two 18 y.o. kids are really soft if there's any chance that they can't make it with dedicated training.

Doing it sub 10 mins is IMO totally unnecessary for badminton. However 12 mins 11 sec if bloody impressive for a 14 y.o girl.

I think it dosn't make much sense to have 3km running as a benchmark for badmintonplayers.

We all know that conditioning for badminton IS NOT long distance running, but rather interval-training (10-10 seconds etc)..

Would make much more sense for them to base badminton-related fittness test on interval-running or cycling..

I doubt that you can say for a fact that a badminton player running 3km on 11:00 rather than 12:00 must be better fit for badmintons intervall type fitness stamina.

my 2 cents..

/Twobeer