Jakarta: The Indonesian women’s basketball team is due to make changes to its roster to compete in the 2023 Asian Games to be held in Hangzhou, China from September 23 to October 8. This measure was taken to adjust the regulations concerning naturalized players.

At the 2023 Asian Games, all naturalized players will not be able to play. Indeed, the executive committee determined that only one naturalized player could be played. Then, the player must have a passport from the country of destination for three years.

Indonesian women’s basketball team manager Christopher Tanuwidjaja said the settlement held Kimberley Pierre-Louis hostage. The reason is that Kim is not even three years old as a citizen of Indonesia (WNI).

“Our goal at the moment is that the naturalization rules allowed by the organizing committee are 1 person and have had a passport for 3 years. Meanwhile, Kimberley has just received a passport in December 2020, which at the when the event started was I’m almost 3 years old again,” Christopher explained.

Koh Itop–Christopher’s nickname continued, this settlement forced the women’s national team to change its name. And Kimberley who was listed will be replaced by Peyton Whitted.

Koh Itop also said his party is still awaiting the final condition of Adelaide Callista Wongsohardjo who helped the women’s national team win gold at SEA Games Cambodia 2023. Because he is still healing from a broken palm injury.

“We still hope that Adelaide recovers from a broken palm soon and returns to the team,” said Koh Itop.

In the 2023 Asian Games, the women’s basketball team is in Group C with India, China and Mongolia.

The women’s national team is part of group C. It will face India, China and Mongolia. India will be Indonesia’s first opponent on September 27, followed by China (September 29) and Mongolia (October 1).

“We have to win against Mongolia. Then against India we never met but we will still give our all against them,” Koh Itoh said of the strength of the opponents in the group stage of the 2023 Asian Games.

“To fight China, we have to be realistic. Their level is way above us, so our efforts and focus right now must be more on India and Mongolia,” he said.

The women’s basketball team is not on vacation after making history as the promotion team from the Asian Cup Division A some time ago. So far, they are still training to prepare in Surabaya for the 2023 Asian Games.

“The women’s national team has no day off. We continue to train and conduct trials against local men’s teams,” Koh Itoh concluded.

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(KAH)