TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia’s failure to advance to the knockout stage of the 2026 Thomas Cup for the first time in the tournament’s history has prompted the possibility of major changes within the All Indonesia Badminton Association (PBSi), including potential coaching reshuffles and reforms to the national training system at Pelatnas Cipayung.
PBSI Vice Chair Taufik Hidayat said changes to the coaching staff were highly possible following Indonesia’s disappointing performance at the 2026 Thomas and Uber Cup tournaments.
“It is very possible that there will be coaching changes, why not? Whether there will be changes in the singles sector is also possible. Promotions and demotions can happen at any time, including for coaches,” Taufik said during a press conference at Pelatnas PBSI in Cipayung, Jakarta, on Friday, May 8, 2026.
According to the 2004 Athens Olympic gold medalist, the pressure to deliver results in elite sports means evaluations cannot be postponed for too long. He stressed that both coaches and support staff could be replaced if they fail to meet expectations.
“If they cannot perform, what is the point of keeping them? Sports cannot wait. Not only technical coaches, but also the support team—if they are not performing at their best, we will find replacements,” he said, as quoted by Antara.
A broad evaluation appears inevitable after Indonesia finished third in Group D of the Thomas Cup behind Thailand and France. The team’s heavy 1-4 defeat to France dealt a major blow to Indonesia, historically one of the most successful nations in the men’s team championship.
Taufik said everyone within PBSI must reflect on the failure, noting that one of the biggest issues was the athletes’ lack of readiness during matches.
“Some athletes said they were ready when asked. But once on the court, they were not ready,” he said.
He also pointed to poor coordination between the medical team and coaching staff. According to Taufik, some athletes who were not medically fit to compete were still fielded for tactical reasons.
“We agreed that going forward there must be synchronization. If the doctor says an athlete is not ready to compete, the coach should not force them to play,” he said.
Similar concerns were raised by PBSI Head of Development and Achievement Eng Hian, who said psychological pressure was a major factor behind Indonesia’s early exit from the Thomas Cup.
“The athletes admitted they felt tension on the court that was difficult to overcome,” Eng Hian said.
He cited the case of men’s singles player Alwi Farhan, whose heart rate reportedly reached 200 beats per minute due to match pressure.
“That is a human factor that cannot simply be measured by numbers,” Eng Hian said, as quoted by Antara.
According to him, the players’ strong desire to win ultimately turned into pressure that became difficult to control. Indonesia had initially kept its quarterfinal hopes alive after defeating Thailand 3-2 and Algeria 5-0, but failed to secure qualification following the loss to France.
Despite the criticism directed at the men’s team, PBSI praised the performance of Indonesia’s Uber Cup squad, which reached the semifinals before losing 1-3 to South Korea.
Eng Hian said the result deserved appreciation given the dominance of South Korea and China in women’s badminton. Indonesia had exited in the quarterfinals in each of the previous six editions.
“We hope the women’s players will be more optimistic heading into the next Uber Cup,” Eng Hian said.
Amid the ongoing evaluation, PBSI said it is preparing long-term reforms, including an accelerated development program aimed at giving young athletes international competitive experience at an earlier stage.
“Of course, we want to accelerate the process of athletes reaching the highest level,” Eng Hian said.
He added that Indonesia continues to have a strong pipeline of young talent in both the men’s and women’s sectors, but improving performance will require better integration between coaches, support staff, and management.
“This is what we are currently working toward, creating stronger integration between the technical coaches and support teams so improvement can happen more quickly,” he said.
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