PBSI wants to cut short Singles squad to accommodate more Doubles shuttlers
The Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) wants to cut short the number of Singles players to accommodate more shuttlers in the Doubles category after witnessing the disappointing performance of Indonesian shuttlers at the 2011 World Championships in
the category of Singles.
The Doubles shuttlers delivered a better performance as compared to Singles' contestants, as Indonesia entered into the semi-final in two categories at the World Championships including Men’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles. In all other categories, Indonesian
shuttlers failed to pass the quarter-final stages in the world meet.
I Made Gusti Oka, the deputy chairman of PBSI said, “Hopefully, by next week we will have completed reducing the singles squad to make room for the doubles newcomers. The more singles shuttlers dismissed, the more doubles newcomers we can accommodate. We
will invite these doubles players to undergo two weeks of trial trainings for selection.”
The deputy chairman also expressed that PBSI will accommodate 64 shuttlers in all five categories of badminton in the training camp. A number of 28 Singles shuttlers are already in the squad from which a few shuttlers will be replaced by young Doubles players.
Simon Santoso of Indonesia lost to Denmark’s veteran, Peter Hoeg Gade in the Men’s Singles category. He failed to advance in the event against the World Number Three, Gade. Sony Dwi Kuncoro, another Indonesian Men’s Singles shuttler failed to even qualify
for the World Championships.
This situation has put the Singles shuttlers in a state of confusion and PBSI is looking for their replacement through doubles players. Christian Hadinata stressed Doubles shuttlers to improve their quality for competing well at the international level.
He said, “The war a shuttler is facing in big events, such as the recent London Worlds Championships, is a war in concentration. Shuttlers must be able to keep their focus on winning one point to the next.”
Now, the time to elevate the game of players has come and all shuttlers in their respective categories need to improve their level of play by showing commitment and hard work.
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