Indonesia needs drug laboratory<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Chairman of the 14th National Games in 1996,
\nSurjadi Soedirdja, urged the government to build a drug
\nlaboratory authorized by the International Olympic Organization
\n(IOC).<\/p>\n
\"The time has come for Indonesia to have its own drug
\nlaboratory so that we no longer have to rely on another country
\nfor drug tests,\" Surjadi said at a two-day seminar on doping in
\nCisarua, West Java, which concluded yesterday.<\/p>\n
Surjadi's speech on the doping issue was apparently meant as
\nan anticipatory measure against a possible repeat of the drug
\nscandal revealed early last year following the 13th National
\nGames in September 1993 in Jakarta, which he also chaired.<\/p>\n
\"The drug scandal hitting the 1993 National Games disgraced
\nIndonesian sports,\" Surjadi, who is also Jakarta Governor, said.<\/p>\n
In February last year, the National Sports Council (KONI)
\nstripped five top athletes of their gold medals and records,
\nafter drug tests conducted by an IOC-authorized laboratory in
\nBeijing discovered steroids in their urine.<\/p>\n
Today's increasingly tougher competition among athletes,
\ncoupled with lucrative rewards and bonuses for top performers,
\nare factors triggering sportsmanship violations, including drug
\nuse, Surjadi said.<\/p>\n
Anwar Pasau, drug commission chairman at the recent national
\ncongress held by the National Sports Council (KONI), said that
\nthe sports body would only able to finance a small number of drug
\ntests during the National Games next year due to its limited
\nbudget.<\/p>\n
\"China charged us around US$100 to $200 for each sample, which
\nis quite expensive for the KONI budget. Hence, KONI will have to
\ntake urine samples only of athletes who showed extraordinary
\nperformances or who are suspected to have taken performance-
\nenhancing drugs,\" Anwar said.<\/p>\n
Organizer of the seminar, Ery Chayaridipura, said that the
\nformulation of the legal status of an Indonesian drug laboratory
\nwill be drawn up. He will also draft plans for the establishment
\nof an Indonesian anti-doping commission.<\/p>\n
If established, Indonesia will become the fourth country in
\nAsia, after China, Japan and South Korea, to have its own IOC-
\nauthorized drug laboratory.<\/p>\n
The seminar was also attended by Minister of Health Sujudi,
\nchairman of the German Anti-Doping Commission Hans Evers and IOC
\nsecretary-general Donike. (arf)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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