PBSI Is Ready To Hold A Thomas-Uber Cup Simulation With Health Protocols

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JAKARTA - The Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) is ready to hold team matches as a simulation for the Thomas and Uber Cup tournaments. This step was taken to reflect the successful implementation of health protocols related to the COVID-19 pandemic at the holding of an internal tournament which ended Friday, July 24 evening.

According to information from PBSI in Jakarta, Saturday, July 25, the implementation of the match with the application of the health protocol is needed by the Indonesian team to train readiness ahead of the 2020 Thomas and Uber Cup which is scheduled to be held in Aarhus, Denmark, on October 3-11.

"Currently, the BWF (World Badminton Federation) is in the process with the host regarding the health protocols that athletes must go through. Incidentally we also have no certainty about official championships from BWF, therefore we need simulations to finalize the readiness of our players. "said Secretary General of PP PBSI Achmad Budiharto as quoted by Antara.

According to Achmad Budiharto, the preparation of players in team tournaments is different from individual tournaments. In a team tournament, athletes need to strengthen cohesiveness, mutual trust, teamwork and so on. The simulation is deemed appropriate to warm up ahead of the Thomas and Uber Cup.

The Thomas and Uber Cup simulation will be held at Pelatnas Cipayung in early September 2020. The players will be grouped into several groups using a half competition format.

The Thomas and Uber Cup simulation will of course apply strict health protocols as applied to the internal tournament which ended Friday night with the women's singles final between Gregoria Mariska Tunjung and Putri Kusuma Wardani as the closing party.

The internal tournament entitled "Mola TV PBSI Home Tournament" is a forum for national training players to measure the results of their training as well as a place to restore the atmosphere of the match that they have not received for almost five months because all official tournaments were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the first week, Mola TV PBSI Home Tournament presents men's doubles sector matches, followed by mixed doubles, men's singles, women's doubles, and closed women's singles.

Through this internal tournament, the badminton branch has become one of the pioneers in organizing tournaments with the COVID-19 health protocol.

Achmad Budiharto said that Mola TV PBSI Home Tournament can apply ninety percent of health protocols throughout the tournament.

"The organizing committee wants to implement health protocols in this championship. We can run it ninety percent. Several things will be evaluated again, one of which is that officers are not used to using face shields so that it influences them in making a judgment," he said.

Some of the health protocols implemented in Mola TV PBSI Home Tournament are that all match organizers are confirmed to be free from COVID-19. In doing so, they also use masks and face shields. Especially for service judges, every time they change the shuttlecock, they use a hand sanitizer.