Ideally, any athletes should face their opponent, fight with all they have, and accept the result of the match.
By
KOMPAS EDITOR
·3 minutes read
ZAC GOODWIN/PA VIA AP
A general view of play during day two of the All England Open Badminton Championships at Utilita Arena in Birmingham, England, Thursday March 18, 2021.
The Indonesian squad was “struck by lightning” after being forced to withdraw from the All England Open. It is a painful experience, but we need to reflect on this incident and look at the future.
In accordance with the United Kingdom’s regulation, the Indonesian squad must withdraw from the tournament and do 10 days of self-quarantine because a passenger on the team’s flight to the UK tested positive for COVID-19. There is nothing to be done other than withdraw from the tournament.
The incident has drawn protests from the Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI), the Youth and Sports Ministry, as well as badminton enthusiasts in Indonesia. The phenomenon is understandable because this is the first time the Indonesian squad has withdrawn from an official match.
A win should be celebrated without becoming complacent, while a loss should become an opportunity for an evaluation.
It would be different if the Indonesian squad was allowed to continue its participation in the tournament and got defeated. Ideally, any athletes should face their opponent, fight with all they have, and accept the result of the match. A win should be celebrated without becoming complacent, while a loss should become an opportunity for an evaluation.
However, it did not happen due to quarantine regulation, a fact of life. This event – no matter how painful – occurs during the pandemic and must be accepted for the greater good, mitigating further coronavirus infection.
HUMAS PP PBSI
Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo (left) and Marcus Fernaldi Gideon after defeating the host pair, Matthew Clare / Ethan van Leeuwen 21-12, 19-21, 21-9, in the first round of All England at Utilita Arena Birmingham, England, Wednesday (17 / 3/2021).
The PBSI has filed a protest with the Badminton World Federation (BWF) regarding the incident. Everyone should understand and accept the fact that the Indonesian squad cannot continue its participation in this year’s All England Open anymore.
What should be done is to prevent the same incident from reoccurring. We need to look at the future. During the pandemic, preparation should be done not only on the athletes, physique, technique and mental state, but also on the health protocol requirements.
Reflecting on the incident at this year’s All England Open, it could have been prevented by taking a charter flight to avoid interaction with the public, though it comes with a higher expense. Another preventive measure would be to arrive earlier, considering the number of days needed to conduct self-quarantine.
Equally important, PBSI officials should thoroughly check each country’s quarantine requirements, especially regarding the difference in the number of days required for self-quarantine by each country. It is important because the Indonesian squad will participate in other tournaments in the future. One of them is the Tokyo Olympics.
Kompas
In this March 20, 2020, file photo, three-time Olympic gold medalists Tadahiro Nomura, right, and Saori Yoshida light the torch during Olympic Flame Arrival Ceremony at Japan Air Self-Defense Force Matsushima Base in Higashimatsushima in Miyagi Prefecture, north of Tokyo. The torch relay for the postponed Tokyo Olympics is to start in just over three months, and it faces the same questions as the Olympics about being held safely during the coronavirus pandemic.
We will also serve as the host for various badminton tournaments, such as the Indonesia Open and Indonesia Masters in Jakarta, which has been pushed back from its initial schedule of June 2021. It is important to ensure enforcement of the health protocol. After all, Indonesia has what it takes to become a good host.
