Indonesia's top shuttler Taufik Hidayat has pulled out of this
year's All England tournament amid reports of an internal squabble
at the national training camp, local press said Tuesday.
Officials with the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI)
have confirmed the decision but failed to provide a reason,
reported English daily The Jakarta Post.
"We still have his ticket and hotel reservations. But ... Taufik
will not compete at the All England," official in charge of
training, Lius Pongoh, was quoted as saying.
Former world champion and Olympic gold medalist Taufik said he
had been focused on the March 6-11 tournament, the lone major title
not in his collection, for the past month. "I want it badly but now
I am facing this," he told the newspaper.
Sources at the training camp said it all began with Taufik's
demand that several players be banned from competing in two
tournaments after they took part in an event in Papua province last
December without the PBSI's consent.
PBSI officials decided the players would not be allowed to
compete in the Swiss Open next month, but would be allowed to take
part in the All England, which is a six-star Super Series event and
part of the 2008 Olympic Games qualifying.
The decision reportedly upset Taufik and he threatened to pull
out of the All England unless PBSI changed course.
(Xinhua News Agency February 28, 2007)