Grim times ahead for Inodnesia badminton

Discussion in 'Professional Players' started by cooler, Oct 4, 2006.

  1. cooler

    cooler Regular Member

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    Grim times ahead for Inodnesia badminton
    Primastuti Handayani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

    Indonesia's glory days in badminton may be numbered with key shuttlers looking to quit the national training camp ahead of next year's Sudirman Cup, the 2008 Thomas/Uber Cup championships and the Beijing Olympics, unless there is reform within the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI).

    "Some key players will quit the national training camp as early as next year and the second stringers are not ready yet to take over," said men's singles ace Taufik Hidayat on Wednesday.

    "It's ironic that we (players) are targeted to win back the Sudirman Cup and Jakarta will host the Thomas Cup while there's nobody playing for the country."

    Although Taufik declined to say if he would also quit soon, he said: "I will quit before the PBSI dumps me."

    He cited the fate of close friend Sigit Budiarto -- the 1997 world champion with partner Candra Wijaya and two-times worlds runner-up -- who quit the camp due to prolonged injury. Candra quit earlier but still played in regular tournaments with Tony Gunawan, who now lives in the United States.

    "Sigit and Candra served the country with their international recognition. But they got nothing from the PBSI when they quit. I don't want to be like that," said Taufik.

    The way out has been shown to men's doubles player Luluk Hadiyanto due to his recent flops.

    "My coach told me that I should play better at the Asian Games (in Doha from Dec. 1-15). Otherwise, I have to leave," he said.

    The 28-year-old was upbeat that he could bounce back in the next two years. "Alvent (Yulianto) and I have learned from our mistakes and we are optimistic that we can improve our play."

    The performance of Luluk and Alvent has been floundering with their last title won in 2004. If they quit, Indonesia's domination in the sport lies only with juniors Markis Kido/Hendra Setiawan, quarter-finalists at the worlds.

    Shuttler-cum-coach Hendrawan called on the PBSI to change its policy on sending players to tournaments.

    "My shuttlers need to compete more frequently in one- to three-star tournaments so they can deal with the pressure on the court," said the women's singles coach.

    The cash-strapped PBSI had to slash tournament schedules, PBSI official in charge of development Rudy Hartono said recently, and players who failed to perform after several tournaments should be "grounded as their responsibility".

    But Hendrawan refuted champions are not created in two weeks. "My players may not win anything until 2008. But I believe that they will emerge as winners after that."

    Players have urged the PBSI to reform to improve its performance.

    Taufik named two key factors that should be addressed immediately by the officials.

    "Give us clear and transparent training and competition programs and give us our contract money on schedule," said the 25-year-old.

    Both factors, however, have been long-standing issues within the PBSI.

    "Even with the start of the Badminton World Federation-sanctioned Super Series mid-January in Malaysia, we still don't know which tournaments we will go," said Taufik.

    The BWF, previously called the International Badminton Federation, has a make-over Super Series in which 12 tournaments are scheduled per year with a minimum prize money of US$200,000 each. At the end of the year, there will be the Super Series Masters Final with prize money of $500,000.

    As for the contract money, Taufik and mixed doubles player Nova Widhianto have complained about late payments and the ban on seeking individual sponsors.

    "Badminton is a gold mine sport but we can't get major companies as sponsors," Taufik said. "No wonder many players decided to play overseas.

    "If nothing changes, many players will leave the camp."
    ----------------------------------------

    it kinda support what i have had said in various threads before.
     
    #1 cooler, Oct 4, 2006
    Last edited: Oct 4, 2006
  2. Quasimodo

    Quasimodo Regular Member

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    I've always liked Hendrawan as a player from the first time I saw him play. Looks like he's got a good head on his shoulders as well as a coach. :)

    Come on, PBSI. Any one can see a pattern developing here. When so many of your top players voice the same complaints, you've got a major issue to take care of.
     
  3. ctjcad

    ctjcad Regular Member

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    Thanks for the article, cooler...And some quick comments..

    thanks for sharing the article, cooler...yah, i think many of us have voiced the same thoughts as well, incl. myself...Here are my take on some of the comments/reports, rest of article snipped for brevity
    - With all his accomplishments, Taufik can quit whenever he wants. Actually he almost did a few yrs ago by moving to S'pore. The question is will PBSI miss him if he decides to call it quits early??..And if he does quit early, what will PBSI do??..

    - PBSI has to be *consistent* with what they are claiming they want to do "grounded as their responsibility". What happened after the players fared poorly in the last 3 events, esp. in the WC??..

    - Comments from Taufik abt the 2 factors. I think it goes both ways for Taufik and PBSI. It's probably true PBSI is facing "financial" struggle, but has Taufik been preparing and training himself for the recent tournaments??..His results speak for themselves..

    - Money is a factor, probably the "main" factor, but there's gotta be more than that. How abt PBSI being consistent and showing some integrity with what they are putting forth?? How abt showing up and being "in control" of their players, not the opposite & being "threatened" by just 1 or 2 players...How abt preparing and providing all the new recruits with all the necessary ways for them to stay in Pelatnas(ie. adequate competition overseas)..Rather than focusing & sending the same old players overseas..

    Anyways, i concur with Quasimodo, i don't know what's been going on ever since Sutiyoso(bang Yos) became the chairperson, but PBSI has to get it's head "back straight"..
    Perhaps it's time for the current PBSI regime to re-think what in the world they are doing in there??..:confused: :rolleyes: :p
     
    #3 ctjcad, Oct 5, 2006
    Last edited: Oct 5, 2006
  4. ctjcad

    ctjcad Regular Member

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    forgot to add 1 more comment:
    Hmm, don't tell me Taufik will be invited next to be on the PBSI council board??...:confused: :rolleyes: :p :eek: ;)
     
  5. jug8man

    jug8man Regular Member

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    I hate sounding like an old broken record,

    But this really does proves my past argument about economics and sports.
    HAHA. He who laughs last laughs best :D

    Cheers.
     
  6. cooler

    cooler Regular Member

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    i think this grim outlook runs deeper than just an economic matter;)
     
  7. event

    event Regular Member

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    I hate to encourage a broken record to keep skipping, but which argument does this prove? Even a link to another thread will do if it's that self-evident.

    I find this observation interesting. Is Taufik deluded or is he describing an economic reality in Indonesia of which many of us (PBSI included, apparently) are unaware?
     
  8. Quasimodo

    Quasimodo Regular Member

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    If I've understood the article correctly, PBSI players are banned from seeking individual sponsors, corporate or otherwise.

    So, it doesn't sound like a matter of a lack of money. It sounds like a matter of keeping players on short leashes.
     
  9. ants

    ants Regular Member

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    This time if Taufik quits , he may play elsewhere.
     
  10. ctjcad

    ctjcad Regular Member

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    Who do you guys think Taufik is "really" speaking for??..

    ..hmm, interesting thoughts....
    Well, with these thoughts, then if he's *really* "complaining" abt it, then why not just quit Pelatnas as soon as he can and go play elsewhere??..I mean with all these complaints by him, "lack of fund, money, the players are banned & can't get major companies as sponsors", it seems like he's "still not satisfied" with what he's got...
    If so, then why bother staying and keep on demanding this and that, knowing well abt PBSI's "financial situation" and their attitude abt it(which will arise again and again)??..
    Is he speaking all these for himself, or the players or PBSI??...:confused: :rolleyes: :p
     
    #10 ctjcad, Oct 5, 2006
    Last edited: Oct 5, 2006
  11. ants

    ants Regular Member

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    He is speaking for the other players as well. I don't think he is saying all these for himself.
     
  12. jug8man

    jug8man Regular Member

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    I can't quite put my finger on it either hehe. It was a heated 'debate' with a BC member from Indonesia, profession : Lawyer. :D

    Cheers
     
  13. ctjcad

    ctjcad Regular Member

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    ..then if it's *really* so, the other players should come forward to "support" what Taufik has said, don't you agree??..Why only Taufik??..Can't Sigit or Nova or Lilyana come fw & say the same thing(with what they've accomplished), if they "really" want those "demands"??..Cos by not saying so and just keep quiet, will PBSI notice that??..:confused: ;)
    Cos as far as i can see, some of the past INA contributors have also dis-associated themselves from PBSI(ie. Rexy, Susi, Alan, Tony, Ricky and countless others) with only a few of them returned to help(ie. coach Christian, Hendrawan)..Did those people dis-associate themselves from PBSI because of what Taufik is "complaining" now? If so, then Taufik should do the same thing, get out there and find it himself, rather than act like a "spoiled child"...:rolleyes::p ;):mad:
     
    #13 ctjcad, Oct 5, 2006
    Last edited: Oct 5, 2006
  14. event

    event Regular Member

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    Hasn't Taufik had some success in getting his way in the past, even from PBSI? Especially if he believes that there is sponsorship money out there to be had for those who seek it, he could be hoping that these threats will light a fire under someone's behind. It could be selfish but didn't he already get a house from some PBSI bigwig, father-in-law or otherwise? That didn't involve a public declaration like this one, did it? As for his aborted plans to move to Singapore, I'm even less familiar with how that played out.

    Nonetheless, this article seems to be describing a new strategy in that he says things like "key players" and "many players" and then the article quotes Nova as well. If there is a possible corporate solution to the "cash-strapped" situation of PBSI that only stubbornness or laziness is preventing, and if any players want PBSI to start trying to change things, then Taufik is obviously the one with the most clout. Even though Nova and Lilyana have won more recently, they just aren't the big names that Taufik is.
     
  15. ctjcad

    ctjcad Regular Member

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    exactly...he's got all those and now he's "requesting" more while bringing in "other key players" in his statements. Also, if it's *really* because of not getting "contract money on schedule" or "players banned from getting outside sponsors" like Taufik has stated, then does that justify their poor performance(s) recently?? ..:confused: :rolleyes: ;)
    It should be interesting what PBSI comes up with this time around..;)

    **Abt your inquiry on Taufik's aborted plans to move to Singapore, i believe there's a thread or some posts in this BC/BF describing the history of it..If not, i'll try to look for the source(s)..;)
     
    #15 ctjcad, Oct 6, 2006
    Last edited: Oct 6, 2006
  16. event

    event Regular Member

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    Sorry. I said Nova was quoted. You are correct. He wasn't actually quoted, as such. However, the original article did say this:
    I don't follow your logic. If those players did dis-associate themselves for the same reason, then the fact that said "same reason" still persists enough to cause Taufik's complaints would seem to prove that Christian and Hendrawan coming back to help, didn't manage to change anything. In fact, Hendrawan is quoted making a complaint, about policies pertaining to sending up-and-comers to tournaments, that is closely related to Taufik's criticisms. If Hendrawan comes back and doesn't wield enough power to change these kinds of policies, it seems clear to me that Taufik has a different hammer to swing at the same spike. Hendrawan can try making suggestions and if PBSI fires him, he can work overseas as other retired greats have done, but it doesn't accomplish much. It will be noticeable, but he hasn't really proven himself yet as an indispensable champion-producing coach. Taufik, on the other hand, can complain and threaten to leave. Whether PBSI cans him or whether he elects to leave, you're talking not only about a proven champion leaving Indonesia in his prime and setting himself up to win titles away from the Indonesian team in the future, you're also talking about taking away one of Indonesia's few remaining rays of hope for medals in both team events and in the one individual event that people seem to care the most about. This is not like Pi or Yao or Xu or Wang or Li Li leaving China with its still mighty stable of champions. Even if any of those women had been trying to make a statement - and I haven't heard that they were - it couldn't be loud enough unless they were in a position to hurt the Chinese team, which they weren't. Taufik, however, is threatening to weaken the Indonesian team and the threat is a credible one. He could do to the Indonesian men's team what Mia did to its women's team, although again I'm not familiar with Mia's intentions at the time.
     
    #16 event, Oct 6, 2006
    Last edited: Oct 6, 2006
  17. event

    event Regular Member

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    That's difficult to say. I'm reminded of a line Michael Moore supposedly has in his book Stupid White Men where he apparently vows never to fly with a certain airline that pays its pilots less than US$30,000 a year or something like that. He claims he doesn't want the person flying his plane to be worrying about house payments or surgery costs or something. That's a tongue-in-cheek exaggeration but athletic performance is such a sensitive business and who are we to judge the psychological effect that late or small paychecks has on a player's ability to focus?
     
  18. ctjcad

    ctjcad Regular Member

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    Re abt you brought up the example of coach Christian's and Hendrawan's cases, personally i do not know what "urged" coach Christian and Hendrawan to come and "help" PBSI/Pelatnas. Knowing well that PBSI has inherited such difficulties in the past, yet they still want to "help" them. But now Hendrawan has voiced his opinion..:rolleyes: ;)

    Re the statement i've highlighted in bold above, personally i don't think he will have any more aspirations on winning additional titles he has garnered(OC & WC). Perhaps the AE is still on his sights, but who knows...esp. now he's already married. With that said and you mentioned that if Taufik is to leave, it will "weaken the INA's squad", well, what should PBSI do then??

    The question is then : how much enough is enough, for their treatment for Taufik??..Is PBSI willing to sacrifice all future hopefuls just for the desire of one individual??..Should they then bend over backwards all over again for Taufik??..
    Again, it goes back to what i've(and others) been chiming in other posts, that bottom line, PBSI has to get it's "head back on straight" and get control of the situation. Look into the future now, the past glories are past, they have to deal with what's up in the future...What will they do once Taufik is done playing?? Is PBSI going to fold as well??..Are they ready for it?? That remains to be seen..:rolleyes: :p ;)
     
    #18 ctjcad, Oct 6, 2006
    Last edited: Oct 6, 2006
  19. ctjcad

    ctjcad Regular Member

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    well, i think the "psychological effect" like you mentioned should be on the other players who have accomplished reasonably well, yet they don't get the same "treatment" like what Taufik has gotten...But for Taufik, with all that he's received(ie. house(s), land(s), car(s) etc.) and now esp. married to the daughter of KONI's chairperson, shouldn't he be concentrating more on his preparation/training rather than "worry" abt what he'll get??..:confused: :rolleyes: ;)
     
  20. event

    event Regular Member

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    So you're saying that players like Widianto, Natsir, Polii and Novita have been performing well despite what must be the same financial concerns? This is a valid point. I guess we'll never know whether they could have performed even better if they had more security in terms of finances and scheduling. On the other hand, we won't know whether they even have complaints unless they themselves come forward. The fact that they haven't, however, could mean that they don't share Taufik's dissatisfaction or that they are afraid of being turfed by PBSI like Sigit, Eng Hian and others have been.
    I don't know how much fight Taufik has left in him, either. If he really gets vindictive and wants to win medals NOT for Indonesia just to prove a point, maybe that would be sufficient motivation for him to regain some past glory. Who knows? My main point is that if Taufik is correct and they're not doing things right then Taufik leaving will definitely produce a void that PBSI won't be able to fill. If PBSI gets its act together, either Taufik won't leave or PBSI will find a way to fill his shoes. If they just want to save face, they could just kick Taufik out and then at the same time get their act together in terms of sponsorship and getting younger players needed tournament experience. .
    This dilemma seems as dismal as you suggest only if you assume that what Taufik says doesn't hold any water: in other words, if Taufik is just acting like a spoiled brat. If you believe that Taufik is just the only one secure enough about his future to take the risk of speaking out and that he is really voicing concerns more loudly that people like Hendrawan and Widianto have only so far dared murmur about, then PBSI, by "bending over backwards", would really end up helping the "future hopefuls". The main problem, in this case, would be that PBSI would lose a substantial amount of face by admitting Taufik was right.

    I think you are right to be skeptical of Taufik's motives, though. That seems to be what past experience has taught about his behaviour. I think you're right that it remains to be seen.
     

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