Drug abuse confirmed at National Games<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The National Sports Council (KONI) admitted
\nyesterday, after a week-long wait, that the just concluded 14th
\nNational Games were not free of banned drug use.<\/p>\n
KONI chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar said after a meeting with
\nthe Games Organizing Committee yesterday that at least 10
\nathletes were suspected of taking banned substances, after over
\n1,200 urine samples were tested in a doping control laboratory at
\nRawa Kerbau, East Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The shameful news came the same day the committee was
\nofficially dissolved after its one-year service. Doping scandals
\nhave haunted the committee in successive Games. But this year the
\ncommittee has also had to worry about a budget deficit after
\npromoter PT Citrahasta Promotama failed to pay the committee Rp 3
\nbillion (US$1.29 million) of its Rp 7 billion commitment.<\/p>\n
Wismoyo refused to name the athletes suspected of taking
\nbanned drugs, saying he would first review reports from the Games
\ndoping commission.<\/p>\n
\"I will ask the commission to talk to the suspected athletes
\nand listen to their reasons,\" Wismoyo said. The International
\nOlympic Committee (IOC) rules that a doping commission must
\ninform athletes who have tested positive, and allow them to
\nrequest second tests.<\/p>\n
\"They are allowed to have second tests on their own account in
\nany laboratory, either here or abroad, as long as they are
\nauthorized by the IOC,\" said Eddy Widodo, secretary-general of
\nthe Games committee. The committee will also send letters to the
\nsuspects informing them of the results of their urine tests.<\/p>\n
The Rawa Kerbau laboratory, Indonesia's first doping control
\nlaboratory, was built for the Games in cooperation with the
\nSydney-based Australian Sports Drug Testing Laboratory.<\/p>\n
Neither Eddy or Wismoyo would say which illegal substances the
\nathletes were suspected of taking.<\/p>\n
\"I can't tell you what kind of drugs they are. But I assure
\nyou they are not as dangerous as steroids,\" Wismoyo said.<\/p>\n
Another doping scandal hit the Games three years ago when a
\nfemale swimmer, a female cyclist and three male cyclists were
\nfound to have used steroids.<\/p>\n
Success<\/p>\n
But Wismoyo could at least cheer the successful organization
\nof the Games.<\/p>\n
\"It was a great success, as indicated by the 312 records that
\nfell in competitions,\" he said.<\/p>\n
During the 12-day event, 156 meet, 72 national, 13 Southeast
\nAsian Games, 30 Asian and 12 junior world records were broken.<\/p>\n
At the previous Games, 106 less records were broken.<\/p>\n
Both the sports council and the Games organizers considered
\nthe results \"satisfactory\" despite the fact the athletes
\nperformances failed to meet international or Asian standards.<\/p>\n
The Asian and junior world records at this years Games were
\nall broken in power lifting, a non-Olympic sport. In the Games'
\nmother event, the track and field, not a single national record
\nfell.<\/p>\n
Wismoyo reiterated his support for a proposal to hold the
\nGames in 2000 outside Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"I think we all realize that the people want to see the Games
\nstaged in other provinces. The idea is in line with our policy to
\nencourage fairer development in sports,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"But it all depends on the President (Soeharto). He prefers
\npoverty eradication as the top priority,\" Wismoyo added.<\/p>\n
East Java Governor Basofi Sudirman said earlier that his
\nprovince was ready to host the 2000 National Games. The
\nprovince's authorities have planned to build a new sports complex
\noutside of downtown Surabaya for the event.<\/p>\n
\"A governor has to submit a proposal to the President. If the
\nGames budget does not disturb poverty eradication programs, then
\nI think it can host the sporting event,\" Wismoyo said. (yan)<\/p>",
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