The unstable form of Athens Olympic champion Taufik Hikayat, who got a flu recently, would not affect the high-morale Indonesian Olympic badminton team to Beijing, Lius Pongoh, the team manager told Xinhua on Thursday.
"We are really unaffected by that. The team boasts the strength of the 11 athletes, and all shoulder the responsibility for winning the games," Pongoh said.
Hidayat, who had just been out of hospital, was reported to have started focusing on his opening match of the Olympic badminton tournament. The men's singles gold medalist of 2004 Olympics together with Sony Dwi Kuncoro will fight for the title in Beijing.
"This is not individual performance for the games, but a group performance. So, although Taufik's latest form has been said to jeopardize the whole performance of Indonesian badminton team, I really don't see it," Pongoh said.
Anyway, Pongoh admitted that the games will be very tough for the Indonesian team. "Our arch rivals includes Lin Dan from China, Lee Hyun Il from South Korea, Peter Gade and Kenneth Jonassen from Denmark."
Traditional badminton powerhouse, Indonesia has earned at least one Olympic gold medal from their shuttlers since Barcelona 1992.
"Therefore, we need support from the people. And we will still be listed on gold medal tally in Beijing," he said.
Comparing to other 24 athletes, the Indonesian badminton team is the largest part of the country's delegation to the Beijing Olympics.
(Xinhua News Agency July 31, 2008)