PBSI Withdraws Indonesia from BWF World Championships

jpnn.com, JAKARTA - The Indonesian badminton team will not participate in the 2021 BWF World Championships, which will take place in Huelva, Spain, December 12-19. 

Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) chairman Agung Firman Sampurna made this decision after considering the spread of the Omicron Covid-19 variant.

This is a form of attention from the government to the health and safety of the athletes.

"The decision to withdraw the Indonesian badminton team from this year's World Championships has also been approved by PBSI chairperson Agung Firman Sampurna," said another PBSI executive, Alex Tirta, in a release.

"The rapid spread of the Omicron virus resulting in uncertain changes in health protocols made us decide to withdraw from the 2021 World Championships," added Alex.

PBSI coaching and achievement division head Rionny Mainaky said that he had already established communication with the badminton players and they had agreed with this decision.

"We don't want to take any risks. The safety and health of athletes is more important. We have also discussed it with the players and they agreed to withdraw from the World Championships," said Rionny.

The government has also appealed to reduce activities abroad as a number of European countries has detected a rapid spike in Covid-19 cases.