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Taufik snubs PBSI call-up to camp
Badminton ace Taufik Hidayat has rejected a call-up to the national badminton training camp for 2009 in protest at the omission of his coach Mulyo Handoyo from the coaching lineup
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Badminton ace Taufik Hidayat has rejected a call-up to the national badminton training camp for 2009 in protest at the omission of his coach Mulyo Handoyo from the coaching lineup.
The rejection is the latest spat between the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) and the 27-year-old star who has outshone his national peers in international tournaments but suffered a dip in performance during 2008.
"Pak Mulyo knows me well. He knows my playing style, and in fact, he was the one who shaped me into winning the Olympic (gold) back in 2004," Taufik said Friday.
He was present at the training camp in Cipayung, East Jakarta, but refused to sign the recruitment letter after learning Mulyo was not on the coaching list.
"I don't think I'd be compatible with another coach. It's not that I'm underestimating them, it's only that I've 'clicked' in this great relationship Pak Mulyo," Taufik said, adding he would definitely join the camp if Mulyo's name was back on the list.
Taufik has enjoyed international success since going under Mulyo's tutelage in 1996. Besides the Olympic gold, regarded as the holy grail of athletic achievement, Taufik won the world championship in 2005, the Asian Championship three times and the Asian Games gold medals twice, in 2002 and 2006.
This is not Taufik's first run-in with the country's badminton authority, currently chaired by newly elected Djoko Santoso.
In 2001 and 2006, Taufik threatened to quit the national team, prompting the PBSI to give in to his demands to put Mulyo back in charge of the player.
However, the PBSI looks unlikely to back down on its latest decision.
"Any player, including Taufik, has the right to refuse to join the national training camp. So it's okay," said Lius Pongoh, PBSI athlete development head.
Lius, a prominent shuttler during the 1980s, said the PBSI decision to exclude Mulyo would stand.
"From our evaluation, we consider Mulyo as having failed to discipline Taufik in terms of the training schedule. For instance, Taufik missed our physical tests in the last four years," he said, adding the excuses given were overused.
Meanwhile, the badminton season-opening Super Series tournaments in Malaysia and South Korea are in sight, and Lius said the PBSI would send 19 players, including Sony Dwi Kuncoro and Simon Santoso in the men's singles, Olympic gold medalists Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan in the men's doubles, and Olympic silver medalists Nova Widianto and Liliyana Natsir in the mixed doubles.
The other three national team players, Greysia Polii and Nitya in the women's doubles, and Olympic bronze medalist Maria Kristin Yulianti in the women's singles, have been ruled out because of injuries.
The Malaysian Super Series will take place from Jan. 6-11 and the Korean event from Jan. 13-18.
