KONI considers age limit for PON<\/p>\n
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The National Sport Council (KONI) is considering an age limit
\nfor the National Games (PON) in response to criticism that young
\nathletes are being shut out of the quadrennial sporting showcase.<\/p>\n
KONI secretary-general Djohar Arifin said on Wednesday the
\nissue of an age limit for PON would be discussed during a meeting
\nin Samarinda, East Kalimantan, next February.<\/p>\n
\"There have been requests from our provincial chapters to
\ndiscuss the issue,\" Djohar said.<\/p>\n
Hans-Peter Thumm, an athletic consultant in an Indonesia-
\nGermany cooperative project, has said that young athletes were
\ngenerally deprived of the opportunity to compete at the recently
\nended PON in Palembang, South Sumatra, because of the presence of
\nso many older athletes.<\/p>\n
He also criticized the event for becoming a dubious \"market\"
\nfor aging athletes who were lured into competing for a province
\nwith promises of huge cash bonuses.<\/p>\n
\"While there is a lack of competition in nearly every sport in
\nIndonesia, PON has become a lost chance for juniors to display
\ntheir potential,\" Thumm said in an interview with The Jakarta
\nPost last week.<\/p>\n
He suggested that if PON wanted to make a real contribution to
\nsports development, the event should be limited to athletes under
\nthe age of 21.<\/p>\n
Swimmer Richard Sam Bera, 33, judoka Krisna Bayu, 28, and
\ngymnast Jonathan Sianturi, 33, were among the older athletes
\nfeatured at the Palembang PON, where Jakarta's sporting
\ncontingent emerged with the most medals.<\/p>\n
While the three proved they can still compete by winning two
\ngold medals each in their respective sports, their inclusion in
\nthe event was seen by some of robbing younger athletes of the
\nchance to compete.<\/p>\n
Djohar said aging athletes accounted for 40 percent of the
\nabout 6,500 athletes who competed in 41 sports in Palembang,
\nadding that KONI would be looking to reduce that number.<\/p>\n
\"The idea of limiting the age of athletes in PON is a good
\none, as provincial administrations would then have to focus more
\non the development of young athletes,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"Soccer and basketball organizations have implemented
\nregulations that only allow players under the age of 23 to play
\ncompete in PON. Other sport organizations should dare to follow
\nsuit,\" Djohar said.<\/p>\n
The scheme, if implemented, would also be expected to prevent
\nathletes from hiring out their services to provincial
\nadministrations looking to snap up as many medals as possible.<\/p>\n
Krisna Bayu is an example of an athlete changing allegations
\neasily. Before competing for South Sumatra in this most recent
\nPON, Krisna competed for Central Java and West Java.<\/p>\n
While applauding the idea of an age limit, senior sports
\nobserver M.F. Siregar said it was a \"challenge that KONI must
\nhandle in the future\".<\/p>\n
He said the necessity of an age limit was more urgent in
\nswimming, gymnastics, and track and field, which traditionally
\naccount for the bulk of the medals in multisports events.<\/p>\n
KONI, according to Djohar, is also considering the possibility
\nof holding the National Games every two years and reducing the
\nnumber of sports.<\/p>\n
The next PON is scheduled to be held in East Kalimantan in
\n2008.<\/p>",
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