Red and White Flag Not Flying at Thomas Cup 2020, DPR: Menpora's Promise Not Proven

Menteri Pemuda dan Olahraga Zainudin Amali (Foto: Tangkap Layar Youtube voidotid)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) highlighted the Red and White flag that did not fly at the peak of the 2020 Thomas Cup when Indonesia won the event.

The chairman of Commission XI of the DPR RI, Saiful Huda then questioned the performance of the Ministry of Youth and Sports (Kemenpora) because it was powerless to respond to the warning from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

This has an impact on the euphoria of the victory of the Indonesian badminton men's team. Where when lifting the trophy Thomas was injured in the absence of the Red and White flag.

"The achievement of the 2020 Thomas Cup team is certainly extraordinary. Unfortunately, the promise of the Ministry of Youth and Sports (Kemenpora) in responding to the threat of WADA sanctions has not been proven in the field. As a result, the Red and White did not fly in this historic event,” said Huda, Monday, October 18.

Huda reiterated the promise of Menpora Zainudin Amali some time ago who moved quickly to provide clarification to WADA in order to avoid sanctions. Menpora together with the Indonesian Anti-Doping Agency (LADI), he said, will soon fulfill the doping test for Indonesian athletes.

“At that time, the Minister of Youth and Sports stated that WADA was willing to wait for a doping test sample at the Papua National Sports Week (PON) to meet the minimum TDP limit for Indonesian athletes. It turned out that Indonesia was officially sanctioned so that the Red and White did not fly even though Hendra Setiawan et al managed to return the Thomas Cup to the country," said Huda.

It is known that WADA sent a formal notice regarding Indonesia's status which was deemed not to follow the standard Test Doping Plan (TDP) on September 15, 2021. WADA gave Indonesia a 21-day opportunity to provide clarification.

If clarification is not carried out, Indonesia will receive sanctions in the form of a ban on holding international sporting events in the country as well as a ban on raising the Red and White flag abroad.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Indonesia (Menpora RI) Zainudin Amali responded to the warning given by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) only regarding the implementation of an effective doping test program.

He claimed that WADA had understood the state of sports in the country, which had been stopped due to the pandemic.

"Indeed WADA sent a letter and it was conveyed that we were not compliant. Look, during the COVID-19 pandemic, all of our sports activities stopped. No competitions, championships, even car-free days were prohibited at that time," Amali said in a written statement, Friday, October 15.

This condition is considered to have hampered the Republic of Indonesia so that they could not send doping test samples and triggered a warning letter from WADA. However, after receiving an explanation through a clarification letter sent by the Ministry of Sports (Kemenpora), WADA understood it.