Photo from PBSI website
Indonesian badminton mixed doubles player Praveen Jordan faces the threat of being kicked out of the nation’s SEA Games squad.
The 26-year-old missed Monday morning’s training session as well as failing to report back to the national camp in Cipayung on time.
The All-Indonesia Badminton Association (PBSI) has left it to the coaches to decide on the disciplinary action against the player ranked seventh in the world in mixed doubles.
He started his career with Vita Marissa and was paired off with Debby Susanto since his national team call-up in 2013. Praveen has been partnering Melati Daeva Oktavianti since last year.
Coaches Richard Mainaky dan his assistant Nova Widianto are expected to make a decision on the sanction on the player. Their recommendation would be deliberated upon by the PBSI.
Praveen is said to have requested time off to send him mother to the city but failed to return as requested the same day and to report for training the following morning.
Should the PBSI come down hard on the player, it would be a big blow to their medal hopes in the event in Manila.
Jordan had won the gold medal at the 2015 SEA Games with Debby when the pair defeated Malaysia’s Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying in the final. Since forging their partnership last year, both Jordan and Melati had finished runners-up in five international events – 2018 Indian Open and this year’s Japan, Australia, New Zealand as well as Indian Opens.
His coach was reported to be annoyed with Praveen, who even failed to inform his playing partner of his whereabouts. Mainaky is said to be concerned with the erratic form of the pair and was hoping that intensive training sessions would steady the duo before the SEA Games.
Praveen and Melati Oktavianti would have to contend against two other higher ranked SEA teams at the SEA Games. They are ranked behind the pairings of Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Sapsiree Taerattanachai (4) of Thailand and Malaysia’s Chan Peng Soon-Go Liu Ying (5).
Apart from the SEA Games, the Indonesian pair have also been entered for the Danish and French Open tournaments.
If Praveen is sanctioned for his indiscretion, Indonesia’s main pairing at the SEA Games would be Rinov Rivaldy-Pitha Haningtyas Mentari.
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