KONI disburses IOC scholarships<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The National Sports Council (KONI) presented on
\nTuesday International Olympic Committee (IOC)-sponsored
\nscholarships to three badminton players.<\/p>\n
Men's doubles specialist Candra Wijaya, his female counterpart
\nDeyana Lomban and rising men's singles star Taufik Hidayat are
\nthree of four Indonesian sportsmen and women who have won the
\nOlympic Solidarity scholarships. The other athlete, female lifter
\nSri Indriyani, will receive her share on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
M. Moeslim, a KONI official in charge of scholarships, said
\nthe shuttlers deserve US$220 in monthly allowances for a year
\nwhile Indriyani will only get $200.<\/p>\n
Moeslim said that in the first phase of the scholarship
\nprogram each athlete would receive reimbursement of their
\nallowances from September to November 1998.<\/p>\n
\"We will only give out the rest of the money after the
\nathletes' respective coaches submit their training evaluations
\nand their respective sport federations provide estimates of their
\nmonthly budget allocated to athlete development,\" Moeslim said.<\/p>\n
The allowance is part of an IOC monthly scholarship worth
\n$1,200, which will also be used for sports facilities, coaches'
\nsalaries, medication, expert advice in nutrition and psychology,
\nmedical insurance, board and lodging and administration for the
\ncouncil.<\/p>\n
Moeslim said the amount of an allowance was determined by each
\nsports federation.<\/p>\n
\"That's why Indriyani is receiving a different amount from the
\nbadminton players,\" he said, adding that the federation could
\nadjust the sum if necessary.<\/p>\n
Both Candra and Taufik said the scholarships would encourage
\nthem to fare better in international tournaments and aim to win
\ngold medals at the 2000 Olympic Games.<\/p>\n
\"I have a responsibility to pay off what the IOC has given to
\nme by at least qualifying for the 2000 Olympics,\" said Candra,
\nwho is partnering Tony Gunawan.<\/p>\n
Candra won the scholarship, thanks in part to his victory at
\nthe 1997 World Championships with old partner Sigit Budiarto.
\nSigit refused the scholarship after failing a dope test in the
\nSingapore Open in August last year.<\/p>\n
Taufik, who joined the Indonesian team which won the Asian
\nGames gold medal last December, said his first target was also to
\nqualify for the Olympics.<\/p>\n
\"I will fight it out and do my best, in particular to win a
\nticket to Sydney,\" the 17-year-old said. His scholarship is valid
\nuntil the 2004 Olympics. (yan)<\/p>",
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