Taufik admits mistake but no apology to IBF

[ants]

TheStar Sept 20th

REIGNING world and Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat admitted yesterday that he was wrong to walk out of his match at the Hong Kong Open three weeks ago and apologised to the fans for his actions.

But the Indonesian star player fell short of saying sorry to the International Badminton Federation (IBF) and insisted that he needed to take the action to highlight the faults plaguing the sport.

Taufik handed a walkover to China's Lin Dan barely five minutes into his quarter-final match. The score was 3-1 in the Chinese's favour when a line judge first called Lin Dan's shot wide and overturned the decision immediately.

The IBF have said that they would make a decision on Saturday on whether Taufik should be punished for the action.

“I know that it was wrong to walk out of the court and I want to say sorry to the Hong Kong fans who had come to watch the game,” said Taufik yesterday.

“But my action was necessary to alert IBF on the problems of favouritism, especially for players from the host country. What I did was for the good of badminton.”

He added that he had not been affected by bad line calls at the Hong Kong Open alone and that the problem has become widespread.

“With the Super Series about to start next year, the IBF need to be firm to stamp out this problem once and for all,” he said.

“There has to be stricter guidelines to determine if the shuttle is in or out. Tennis and football have already adopted electronic technology to help officials make fair decisions.”

Despite not being seeded for the World Championships, the world number 31 said that he was still the player to beat in Madrid.

“It is every player's dream to win in every world championships and it is the same for me,” he said.

“I have to admit that the Asian Games in December is my top priority for the year but I will still give my best here. The field is tougher and it will be more difficult for me to defend my title.”

[kemana]

After the match between TH and NG he said sorry for the HO incident during an interview. Hehe , happy to hear that:)

[DoublesPlayer]

Yay, Taufik is being positive and it seems like he's motivated to win the World Championships :) He's probably pumped by IBF threat to punish him.

I have my money on him to win the 2006 World Champs ... and Asian Games ... hidup Taufik ... :)

[kemana]

Yay, Taufik is being positive and it seems like he's motivated to win the World Championships :) He's probably pumped by IBF threat to punish him.

I have my money on him to win the 2006 World Champs ... and Asian Games ... hidup Taufik ... :)
haha,i have no money,but i agree he looks like motivated,hehe

[indra]

TheStar Sept 20th

REIGNING world and Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat admitted yesterday that he was wrong to walk out of his match at the Hong Kong Open three weeks ago and apologised to the fans for his actions.

But the Indonesian star player fell short of saying sorry to the International Badminton Federation (IBF) and insisted that he needed to take the action to highlight the faults plaguing the sport.

Taufik handed a walkover to China's Lin Dan barely five minutes into his quarter-final match. The score was 3-1 in the Chinese's favour when a line judge first called Lin Dan's shot wide and overturned the decision immediately.

The IBF have said that they would make a decision on Saturday on whether Taufik should be punished for the action.

“I know that it was wrong to walk out of the court and I want to say sorry to the Hong Kong fans who had come to watch the game,” said Taufik yesterday.

“But my action was necessary to alert IBF on the problems of favouritism, especially for players from the host country. What I did was for the good of badminton.”

He added that he had not been affected by bad line calls at the Hong Kong Open alone and that the problem has become widespread.

“With the Super Series about to start next year, the IBF need to be firm to stamp out this problem once and for all,” he said.

“There has to be stricter guidelines to determine if the shuttle is in or out. Tennis and football have already adopted electronic technology to help officials make fair decisions.”

Despite not being seeded for the World Championships, the world number 31 said that he was still the player to beat in Madrid.

“It is every player's dream to win in every world championships and it is the same for me,” he said.

“I have to admit that the Asian Games in December is my top priority for the year but I will still give my best here. The field is tougher and it will be more difficult for me to defend my title.”

Wow....the showdown is on already:) .

He is motivated to defend the title, despite tough draw:) . I am very excited !!!

That is the thing that I like MOST from TH, he is always the FIRST person who has the GUT to show there is something wrong and get it right...[to alert IBF]. ANd he has done it with nothing to lose....If IBF can see this matter in a more positive manner, IBF should thank TH, instead of punishing him:)

That's what he did also toward PBSI....

By the way...ESPN broadcast alive? starting when? what time?

[kemana]

apology to fans is right,hehe

[aquaboi]

various news articles about taufik in newspapers...enjoy:)



Copyright 2006 Xinhua News Agency
Xinhua General News Service



September 19, 2006 Tuesday 12:00 PM EST

HEADLINE: Defiant Taufik apologises for Hong Kong Open walk-out


Hidayat Taufik apologised for the first time for his walk-out in the Hong Kong Open after winning his first-round tie in the World Chamgpionships on Tuesday.

The reigning champion beat Wang NG from Chinese Hong Kong 21-17, 21-17 to begin his defence campaign.

This was the first match he played since Hong Kong Open where he walked out of a semifinal game against Chinese Lin Dan on September 1 after having failed to persuade the umpire to change a controversial decision by a lines-woman.

"I apologise for what I did in Hong Kong, but she was wrong, everybody could see that," the 25-year-old Indonesian said in a defiant mood.

"It should have been a 'out' call, the TV showed that very clearly," he said.

Taufik said he would strongly advise the international badminton governing body IBF to introduce cameras to help umpires and linesmen.

He disclosed that his main target this season is to win the Asian Games in December.

"But I will try my best to defend my title here," he said.

[aquaboi]

Copyright 2006 Agence France Presse
All Rights Reserved
Agence France Presse -- English



September 19, 2006 Tuesday 5:51 PM GMT

HEADLINE: Hidayat wins and hits out at badminton bosses

World badminton champion Taufik Hidayat began the defence of his title with a solid win on Tuesday and a message to the game's governing body to update itself and use cameras to eliminate line controversies.

"It's time the game became more professional about that," the Indonesian said after his 21-17, 21-17 win over Ng Wei of Hongkong in the first round in the Palacio de Deportes.

It was in Hongkong earlier in the month that Hidayat had been so upset by what he regarded as home town decisions in favour of Lin Dan, the world number one from China, that he picked up his bags and rackets and walked out after only five points.

He had threatened to do the same thing after controversial line calls in Korea last month, and now Hidayat made clear that he did not want to suffer any more of it.

"I don't want what happened at the Hong Kong Open to happen again," he said.

"I want to see cameras for line decisions, so that if anyone disputes a decision we can see whether it was right."

What Taufik had in mind was something similar to the Hawkeye computerized replays and appeals system, which produces an image from several cameras placed on different sides of the court.

This was used successfully at the US Open tennis championships in New York earlier this month, and Wimbledon is said to be considering it too. But at the moment the International Badminton Federation has no plans to follow suit.

Hidayat's straight games win over an opponent who had been seeded to reach the last 16 was nominally an upset, but Ng was only placed in the unfortunate position of having to face the world champion in the first round because Taufik was unseeded after having problems with his back which has restricted his tournament schedule this year.

At the moment Taufik seems fit, though he is not talking up his chances.

"I'm just going to take it one game at a time," he said.

"But I'm very happy with my game, and I pleased to say that I have no injury."

He next has a comfortable-looking match against Kestutis Navickas of Lithuania, but the man most likely to suffer from such a dangerous floater in the draw is Chen Hong, the former All-England champion.

Chen is seeded to reach the last eight, but may never make it as he should face Hidayat in the last 16, though the Chinese player was in emphatic form against Pedro Yang, despite the tricky drift, and overwhelmed the experienced Guatemalan 21-11, 21-9.

Later the other defending singles champion came through safely when Xie Xingfang eased her way into the tournament with a 21-14, 21-14 win over Kati Tolmoff of Estonia.

Meanwhile Julia Mann, who won a record eight English national women's singles titles, ended one career at the world championships here - and begins another in Paris on Monday.

The 34-year-old is not going to waste any time reminiscing about a distinguished career in which she won Commonwealth gold and bronze medals and reached the world's top ten.

Within only six days of her 21-11, 21-10 first round loss to Hwang Hye-Youn of Korea she will be starting as the French national women's coach, and taking the squad to the Czech international championships almost immediately.

"No time to look back - I'm just going to get straight on with a new life," Mann said.

[aquaboi]

Copyright 2006 Associated Press
All Rights Reserved
Associated Press Worldstream



September 19, 2006 Tuesday 6:05 PM GMT

HEADLINE: Hidayat easily wins in first round of badminton worlds

Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat easily beat 13th-seeded Ng Wei of Hong Kong 21-17, 21-17 Tuesday in the first round of the world badminton championships.

Taufik, who is unseeded after dropping out of the top 16 in the world rankings despite being the defending champion, trailed 16-13 in the first game before winning six straight points to take control at Palacio de los Desportes.

After the win, the Indonesian called for the sport to use technology to help clarify disputed line calls. Three weeks ago, the 25-year-old Hidayat walked out during the Hong Kong Open quarterfinals over a disputed call.

"I would like us to use cameras like tennis," Hidayat said. "It would be good if we could challenge decisions and ask the umpire to review them."

Also, Chen Hong of China beat Pedro Yang of Guatemala 21-11, 21-9. He will face Simon Maunoury of France on Wednesday in the second round.

"I'd not met (Yang) before but I found him much tougher than I expected," Chen said. "He is better than players from some of the other emerging badminton nations. He surprised me."

Defending women's champion Xie Xingfang of China also won Tuesday, beating Katie Tolmoff of Estonia 21-14, 21-14.

Gao Ling and Huang Sui, the 2001 and '03 women's doubles champions from China, reached the second round after beating Valerie Loker and Sarah MacMaster of Canada 21-6, 21-6.

[aquaboi]

Copyright 2006 Xinhua News Agency
Xinhua General News Service



September 20, 2006 Wednesday 1:30 PM EST

HEADLINE: Defending Taufik and Xie reach 2nd round

Both defending champions Hidayat Taufik and Xie Xingfang got off to an ominous start with first-round wins in the World Badminton Championships on Tuesday.

Unseeded Taufik beat Zhang Wei from Chinese Hong Kong 21-17, 21-17 before claiming that his top priority this season is to win the Asian Games instead of the World Championships.

"My target is the Asian Games in December, but I will try my best to defend my title here," he said.

The 25-year-old Indonesian cherishes quadrennial Olympic and Asian Games more than the annual World Championships.

"I care less about the World Championships which is held every year. For me, the Olympic Games and Asian Games are more attractive, as they are held every four years," he once said.

Xie, No. 3 seed, found herself in some trouble with the wind when playing Kati Tolmoff from Estonia.

"I could not play my game due to the wind around the court," the 25-year-old Chinese girl said after winning 21-14, 21-14.

"I had to play fast and it always involved some long rallies, that's not my game. You have to have the stamina to play this kind of games, so you can not say I am very confident of retaining the title," she said.

"I felt the roof is too high," she complained about the cavernous stadium.

The men's fifth seed Chen Hong also advanced to the second round after beating Pedro Yang from Guatemala.

The men's top four seeds, who are Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia, Lin Dan of China, Chen Jin of China and Peter Gade of Denmark, and the women's first two seeds, Zhang Ning from China and Xu Huaiwen from Germany, were all awarded first-round byes.

They will play their first match on Wednesday.

[Ningtyas]

espn (asia) won't brodcast the WC, only startsport taiwan who will broacast the games, don't worry Lativi will broadcast live, started 22th november 5.00 pm until the finals

You mean September?:)

[taufik-ist]

You mean September?:)


yeah i mean september :D sorry i've just woken up :),

[ctjcad]

that Taufik has finally offered somekind of an apology...IMO, doing so, is a key first step..;)

Yay, Taufik is being positive and it seems like he's motivated to win the World Championships :) He's probably pumped by IBF threat to punish him.
hmm, boy, hope that's not the attitude that he's carrying around now..Only getting pumped up & wanting to win when a "bigger" governing body/organization offers a threat to "ban" him..:p:rolleyes::(

[aquaboi]

hmm, boy, hope that's not the attitude that he's carrying around now..Only getting pumped up & wanting to win when a "bigger" governing body/organization offers a threat to "ban" him..:p:rolleyes::(

i feel that's good. turning all that negative energy around to something positive. hope he can go all the way!:D

[red00ecstrat]

i m glad to hear that!
but sir, that one was definately "IN'!;)

[ctjcad]

i feel that's good. turning all that negative energy around to something positive. hope he can go all the way!:D
..i know it's good & positive, but what i meant was, if he didn't get any "ban" threat from IBF, he probably would care-less with this WC..:p ;)

[Calvenng]

From reliable sources, Taufik will not be ban if he win the World Title. The decision on what action vs him was suppose to be on 23 Sep but the IBF will postpone it if Taufik enter the semi final.

[weeyet]

I think Taufik could win it.... He's dangerous when he started as an underdog

[Cheung]

REIGNING world and Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat admitted yesterday that he was wrong to walk out of his match at the Hong Kong Open three weeks ago and apologised to the fans for his actions. How come it took him so long? Three weeks....



That is the thing that I like MOST from TH, he is always the FIRST person who has the GUT to show there is something wrong and get it righttwisted logic. He said himself he was wrong (according to these news reports;) wether he was correct about the line call...well, Red is convinced it was in and he was sitting almost right behind the line judge on the ground. That was the 2nd closest person to the shuttle looking down the line (the 1st person is the line judge, of course)

[ctjcad]

How come it took him so long? Three weeks....
He said himself he was wrong (according to these news reports;) wether he was correct about the line call...well, Red is convinced it was in and he was sitting almost right behind the line judge on the ground. That was the 2nd closest person to the shuttle looking down the line (the 1st person is the line judge, of course)
..i know it's been 2-3 weeks or so, but at least he(Taufik) said some sort of an apology...:p ;)..
IMO, at least by saying that, he has "acknowledge", somewhat, that what he "did" was wrong(sincerely or not):confused: ..he might not "acknowledge" or "admit" it wholly *now*, but it's a step in the right direction..;)
Since it can't be undone and he said his apology, the only thing we as fans(his fans or just badminton fans alike) can do now is accept it and try to move on..whatever comes next, hopefully will be best for "everyone"..;):cool:

[ants]

At least he made an apology. That is already ok. Even Zidane's and Materazzi's controversy..they didnt come out with statements right after that head butt incident. After everything kinda calm down... then only they announce their apology after thinking about it.

[kemana]

At least he made an apology. That is already ok. Even Zidane's and Materazzi's controversy..they didnt come out with statements right after that head butt incident. After everything kinda calm down... then only they announce their apology after thinking about it.
agree agree agree,hehe