JAKARTA - The Indonesian badminton team was forced to resign from Yonex All England 2021 due to problems with the COVID-19 health protocol. The Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) protested, calling this a way to tackle Indonesia to win the title. What have Indonesia's achievements been like in the history of All England?
The Indonesian team manager, Ricky Soebagdja, explained that one of the passengers tested positive for COVID-19 on the flight the Indonesian team took from Istanbul, Turkey to Birmingham, England. According to the Badminton World Federation (BWF) clarification, this happened because of British government regulations.
The British health authority, the National Health Service (NHS), asked the Indonesian team to self-isolate for ten days because of one plane with the COVID-19 patient. With this provision, it means that the Indonesian team - be it athletes, officials, coaches - cannot leave the Crowne Plaza Birmingham City Center until March 23.
This is actually strange. A Turkish women's singles player, Neslihan Yigit, is allowed to continue her participation in All England 2021 even though Yigit is actually on the same plane as the Indonesian team and the COVID-19 patient.
General Chairperson of Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) Agung Firman Sampurna saw what the Indonesian team experienced as injustice. Agung even called this a way to tackle Indonesia from tournament competition.
Agung said that the Indonesian players who participated in All England 2021 were a dangerous team. The team, said Agung, is the strongest candidate to win the title.
"With our current preparations, with the current conditions in Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI), one way to prevent Indonesia from becoming a champion is not being able to compete," said Agung at a press conference in Jakarta, Thursday, March 18.
"Because when we compete, we are indeed very dangerous players. We are the strongest first-place candidate and have already beaten the English (players),” added Agung.
History of Indonesian champions in the All England
Agung Firman has confidence, about the best team to go to All England in 2021. However, it is still difficult to predict the course of a sports tournament. How about looking at history? How strong is Indonesia in the history of All England?
Jump to last year. At All England 2020, Indonesia won one title through mixed doubles, Praveen Jordan/Melati Daeva Oktavianti. Undergoing the final at the Birmingham Arena, Praveen/Melati defeated the Thai pair, Dechapol Puavaranukroh/Sapsiree Taerattanachai.
Praveen/Melati won after playing the rubber game with a score of 21-15, 17-21, and 21-8. For Praveen, this victory recorded him as the first Indonesian male player to win the mixed doubles at All England twice with different partners.
Previously, Praveen's duet with Debby Susanto also successfully contributed to the title of All England 2006. Praveen's achievement with Melati and Debby was the 48th title for Indonesia, a continuation of the history of Indonesia's champions in All England.
The first Indonesian title in All England was presented by Tan Joe Hok in 1959. That year Indonesia sent two representatives in the men's singles. Apart from Tan Joe Hok, there is also Ferry Sonneville. Both of them penetrated the final round and created an "all Indonesian final".
After Tan Joe Hok, Indonesia had to wait for nine years to become the champion of All England again. In 1968, Rudy Hartono answered the wait. Not only from Rudy's hands in the men's singles, in the women's doubles, Minarni Sudaryanto/Retno Koestijah also contributed the title.
In total, Indonesia won three All England titles during that time. Continued into the following years, Rudy's performance at the All England was improved like no cure. He bought the men's singles title for seven consecutive years until 1974, before losing to Denmark's Sven Pri in the 1975 All England.
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One year later, in All England 1976, Rudy became champion again. In Rudy's golden period, a number of other badminton players also recorded the All England title. Men's doubles, Christian Hadinata/Ade Chandra, for example, who won in 1972-1973.
There is also Tjun Tjun/Johan Wahjudi who won All England 1974-1975. Rudy's golden era ended later. However, not for the Indonesian team. New talents emerge. Liew Swie King won three All England titles: 1978, 1979, and 1981.
Since then, the Indonesian men's singles number has been fasting for titles, it was long enough for Ardy Wiranata to give a surprise by winning the 1991 All England men's singles title. In 1993 and 1994, Hariyanto Arbi had the title. Arbi's success was the closing of the triumph of the Indonesian men's singles sector at All England. There are no more champions to this day.
Unlike the men's doubles. This sector is the most fertile title in the subsequent All England period. After Tjun Tjun/Johan Wajudi, other names appeared with the contribution of the All England title.
Call it Rudy Heryanto/Hariamanto Kartono (1981 and 1984), Rudy Gunawan/Eddy Hartono (1992), Rudy Gunawan/Bambang Suprianto (1994), Ricky Subagja/Rexy Mainaky (1995 and 1996), Tony Gunawan/Halim Haryanto (2001) , Candra Wijaya/Sigit Budiarto (2003), Ahsan/Hendra (2014 and 2019) and Marcus/Kevin (2017 and 2018).
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The women's singles sector has the least title. Susy Susanti is the only Indonesian badminton player who has ever won the All England. Susy recorded at least four titles: 1990, 1991, 1993, and 1994. Women's doubles were not very good either. There are only two couples who have won. After Minarni/Retno in 1968, there was the Verawaty/Imelda Gunawan pair who followed in 1979.
Mixed doubles are only slightly better than women's doubles. This sector only registered four All England champion pairs. First, Christian Hadinata/Imelda Wiguna in 1971. After that, there was Tontowi Ahmad/Liliyana Natsir who won streak from 2012 to 2014.
Continuing their seniors, Praveen/Debby contributed the title in 2016. Most recently, Praveen won in 2020 with his partner, Melati Daeva Oktavianti. In total, Indonesia has collected 48 All England titles.
This amount brings Indonesia to the fourth position of the country with the most titles won at All England. The first rank is England with 189 titles. The domination that is difficult to compete with, because in second place, Denmark has only collected 88 titles, three titles higher than China - with 85 titles being one level above Indonesia.
* Read other informations about BADMINTON or read other interesting writings from Yudhistira Mahabharata.
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