The Indonesian Olympics badminton team faced a significant setback in Paris on Monday, 5 August, when nearly one billion rupiah in cash was stolen from them.
Photo via The Sun
CNN Indonesia reported that the team’s manager, Armand Darmadji, lost his bag containing 950 million rupiah (approximately RM265,000), along with credit cards and passports.
This cash was meant to cover the team's expenses during their stay at the Olympic Games in Paris.
The theft is believed to be the work of a crime syndicate that used a flat tire scam to target Darmadji. According to reports, Darmadji was in the team's rental car with a colleague, Puspa Irawati, when a stranger approached and alerted them to a flat tire.
While Darmadji stepped out to check the tire and Irawati went to a nearby store, the thief seized the opportunity to steal the bag.
Photo via The Sun
Upon discovering the theft, Darmadji immediately reported the incident to both the local police and the Indonesian Embassy in Paris. Despite this unfortunate event, ANTARA News confirmed that the Indonesian badminton team is still set to return home as planned on 7 August.
We hope everything goes well for the Indonesian Olympics team and that they are staying safe.
