FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MAY 26, 1996

INDONESIA REIGNS SUPREME AT THOMAS CUP BADMINTON CHAMPIONSHIPS

(COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.) - Indonesia once again proved their
dominance in badminton today, as their men's team won their second
consecutive Thomas Cup world men's team championship by defeating
Denmark 5-0.  Indonesia's women captured their second consecutive Uber
Cup title Saturday with a 4-1 victory over China.

The victory was a much needed pick-me-up for Indonesia's men, as all
of their highly-touted singles players came up empty at the
All-England Championships in March.

"We have prepared since February for this tournament and our singles
players were 90 percent at their best tonight," said Indonesian team
leader Lutfi Hamid.  "For the Olympic Games in Atlanta we will be 100
percent."

World champion Heryanto Arbi, dropped from the team which beat South
Korea 3-2 in the semifinals, gave Indonesia their 10th Thomas Cup
title with a 15-8, 15-8, triumph over Thomas Steur-Lauridsen in second
singles. 

RESULTS - 1996 MEN'S THOMAS CUP FINALS (Best of 5 matches - 3 singles,
2 doubles) 

INDONESIA  DEF. DENMARK 5-0 (INDONESIAN NAMES FIRST)
Joko Suprianto def. Poul-Erik Hoyer-Larsen 18-14, 15-8
Ricky Subagdja/Rexy Mainaky 
  def. Jon Holst-Christensen/Jim Laugesen 15-5, 15-7
Heryanto Arbi def. Thomas Stuer-Lauridsen 15-8, 15-8
Rudy Gunawan/Bambang Suprianto 
  def. Henrik Svarrer/Michael Soggard 15-7, 14-18, 15-9
Allan Budi Kusuma def. Peter Rasmussen 15-9, 15-6

SATURDAY'S WOMEN'S UBER CUP FINAL RESULTS

INDONESA  DEF. CHINA 4-1 (INDONESIAN NAMES FIRST)
Susi Susanti def. Ye Zhaoying 4-11, 11-5, 11-5
Eliza/Rosiana Zelin lost to Ge Fei/Gu Jun 15-7, 8-15, 12-15
Mia Audina def. Wang Chen 11-4, 11-6 
Lili Tampi/Finarsih def. Qin Yiyuan/Tang Yongshu 15-9, 15-10 
Meiluawati def. Zhang Ning 11-6, 11-2

...OTHER 1996 THOMAS AND UBER CUP NEWS  The International Badminton
Federation (IBF) warned England that they could be excluded from
future Thomas and Uber Cup competitions if they do not guarantee
fielding full strength sides.  The IBF acted after top English players
Julie Bradbury, Joanne Wright, and Simon Archer stayed home rather
than turn out for the their country in the Thomas and Uber Cup finals.
The Badminton Association of England (BAE) has been asked why they did
not advise the IBF before the preliminary rounds that there was a
chance they would not be at full-strength for the finals.  

"We are not pre-judging the matter, but we need answers to certain
questions," said David Shaw, chief executive of the IBF.  "We need to
ensure that the spirit and integrity of the game is maintained." 

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(FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT PAUL PAWLACZYK, USBA
COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR AT 719-578-4808, E-MAIL: USBA1996@aol.com)