Chess team lacks fund<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Chess Association (Percasi) has
\nbeen expecting financial support for the SEA Games training
\nprogram, but KONI says there is no funding allocation for the
\nchess team.<\/p>\n
The association is preparing nine players -- five men and four
\nwomen -- for the chess competition at the SEA Games, to be held
\nin Kuala Lumpur from Sept. 8 to 17.<\/p>\n
Chess, which is among the 30 events Indonesia will be
\nparticipating in, will be contested as an exhibition event in its
\nbid for inclusion as a medal event at the following games in
\nVietnam in 2003.<\/p>\n
The national team will start a nine-day training session on
\nSaturday in Cipanas, West Java.<\/p>\n
Prior to the Cipanas camp, the association remains desperate
\nin its search for financial assistance.<\/p>\n
"We are very hopeful of receiving cash from KONI, which we
\nneed to finance the preparations," Djamil Djamal, the
\nassociation's general-secretary, told The Jakarta Post on
\nThursday.<\/p>\n
Separately, Putera Astaman, the national training director,
\nsaid that there had been no allocation of funds for the chess
\nsquad.<\/p>\n
"If they are to participate, they shall go at their own
\nexpense," Putera said.<\/p>\n
"We only tackle the financial costs for medal events, not non-
\nmedal events," he added. Nevertheless, Putera said that he still
\nsaw a possibility of KONI being able to draw on its routine
\noperational expense budget for the chess team.<\/p>\n
The nine players include GM Edhi Handoko, IM Danny Juswanto,
\nFM Irwanto, Salor Sitanggang and Susanto Megaranto in the men's
\nteam; and Upi Damayanti Tamin, Ai Zakiah, Tuti Rahayu and Evi
\nLindiawati in the women's team.<\/p>\n
Djamil, who will be one of the three officials traveling to
\nKuala Lumpur, said that, although chess will be played as a non-
\nmedal event, the team would not take the games lightly.<\/p>\n
The team means business in the competition, which is reflected
\nby its squad selection, Djamil said.<\/p>\n
Among the nine, only two are juniors, Susanto and Evi, both
\nnational junior champions.<\/p>\n
Djamil dismissed suggestions that more juniors should be
\nincluded in the team, fearing that they might return home empty-
\nhanded.<\/p>\n
With KONI unlikely to provide any cash assistance, Percasi
\nwill certainly need turn to private sponsors, as it has often
\nbeen required to do in the past in order to meet tournament
\ncommitments, according to Djamil. (01)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/chess-team-lacks-fund-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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