Indonesia Highlights: Indonesia Slams BWF For Stopping the Country’s All England Run | Ministry of Health Denies AstraZeneca Was Behind Indonesia’s All England Open Exit | Indonesia’s President Jokowi

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Indonesian Ambassador to Great Britain Desra Percaya spoke for millions of Indonesians, when he cast doubts about the Badminton World Federation or BWF’s competence and integrity following Indonesia’s abrupt exit from the All England Open 2021.

On the other hand, the Indonesian Ministry of Health refuted speculation by Indonesian netizens that the country’s vaunted badminton team was forced out of the tournament due to Indonesia’s reluctance to use British pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca Covid-29 vaccine.

And in other news, Indonesian President Joko Widodo urged the conflicting sides in the Myanmar crisis to resolve their differences peacefully, more than a month after the country’s military ousted Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi’s civilian government.

Read on for more on this edition of Indonesia Highlights:

bwfworldtour.bwfbadminton.com Logo All England 2021

Indonesia Slams BWF For Stopping the Country’s All England Run

Indonesian Ambassador to Great Britain Desra Percaya has blasted the Badminton World Federation [BWF], following its controversial decision to abruptly end Indonesia’s run at the All England Open in the English city of Birmingham last Thursday.

“The BWF has shown itself to be incompetent in enforcing health protocols during the 2021 All England Open," he said on Friday. "Although the BWF’s policies are not discriminatory in itself, their incompetence led to the discrimination and unfair treatment of the Indonesian team.”

Desra added that he will head to Birmingham to support the Indonesian squad in the wake of the fiasco. “The Indonesian team will promptly return to Indonesia. Until then, I am obliged to keep [the Indonesian badminton team] safe and secure,” he asserted.

“I will also hear out their allegations of discriminatory treatment at the hands of the [BWF].”

The manager of the Indonesian badminton team, Ricky Subagja, reiterated Desra. “Indonesia has no chance of continuing in the 2021 All England Tournament,” the 1996 Olympics gold medalist sighed. “We are now focusing on returning to Indonesia.”

Indonesian doubles player Marcus Fernaldi Gideon first broke the news about the team’s forced withdrawal from the All England tournament in Birmingham.

The UK’s National Health Service or NHS ordered the Indonesian squad to self-quarantine though they tested negative for Covid-19, after a passenger on their flight from Istanbul to Birmingham tested positive for the coronavirus.

The controversy provoked an outcry throughout Indonesia.

Source:

https://go.kompas.com/read/2021/03/20/045744474/indonesia-slams-bwf-for-stopping-the-countrys-all-england-run?page=all#page2. 

flickr AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine