India pulls out of Asia Cup

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE, APRIL 28. India, which was among the top eight nations invited for the Asia Cup badminton championship scheduled to be held in Singapore from May 2, will not figure in the tournament.

Mr. S.S. Mani, Honorary Secretary of the Badminton Association of India, told The Hindu that with the non-availability of the All England champion Pullela Gopi Chand and Abhinn Shyam Gupta, who had expressed their inability to play on different grounds, BAI would not be sending the team.

Moreover, the sponsor, Total Sport Asia, which was keen to have an Indian team, spearheaded by Gopi Chand, were reluctant to accommodate a depleted Indian squad in the eight team field and the have preferred to replace India with Thailand. Gopi Chand is preparing for the World Championship, scheduled to be held in Seville in June first week and that tournament is being preceded at the same venue by Sudirman Cup team championship. Abhinn, according to reports, had expressed his inability due to a bereavement in the family.

The Asia Cup, with a prize money of $ 170,000, is the richest team event badminton championship in the world. The organisers, this year, have decided give prize money for all the eight places. The winning team will receive $ 80,000 while the runner- up gets $ 40,000.

The prize money break up for other places are: $ 30, 000 (third place), $ 10,000 (fourth place), $ 6000 (fifth and sixth) and $ 4000 (seventh and eighth). All ties will consist of two singles and one doubles. Defending champion Indonesia, which heads Group` A' will face a strong South Korea, host Singapore and Hong Kong in its group. Incidentally, both Singapore and Hong Kong are fielding former Indonesia stars. Singapore has Indira Wiranya Ronald Susilo and Aman Santoso while Hong Kong has included Angus Haryanto and Albertus Susanto. China, which is looking for its maiden title in the championship, is pooled with Malaysia, Japan and Thailand, which is the likely replacement for the Indian squad. Barring any major upsets Indonesia and Korea from Group `A' and China and Malaysia from Group ` B', are expected to make the semifinals.

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