INDONESIAN OPEN: VISA PROBLEMS TAKE OUT CHINESE ENTRIES

**This NEW SHUTTLENWS report is presented by YANG YANG BADMINTON PRODUCTS and their Southern U.S.A. agents, SPORTSNET INTERNATIONAL (Email:jumpsmash@aol .com/Tel:713-771-8905/Fax:713-771-4446)**

July 15, 1997 (MEW SHUTTLENWS) - According to sources at the Chinese badminton association, none of the Chinese players who were entered for the Indonesian Open badminton championships being held this week in Solo, Indonesia will be able to play at the tournament because they did not receive visas from the Indonesian government until late last night.

The same source said that the Indonesian badminton association had been supposed to get visas for the players and coaches but that there had been an unexplicable delay.

The tournament organizers had offered to reschedule the Chinese players' matches for later in the week, but Li Yongbo, the Chinese head coach, declined the offer because it meant that there would be a tremendous burden on the players who would have to fly over in a hurry and would have no time to acclimatise. The players would also would have to play many more matches per day in the compressed schedule proposed by the organizers.

The Chinese players who have been entered for next week's Singapore open and who were waiting in Malaysia for their visas will remain in Malaysia this week and will head to Singapore on the weekend. The Chinese players who were waiting in Beijing will remain in Beijing and will join their teammates in Singapore on the weekend.

(migrossman)