KONI reflects on SEA Games defeat<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): National sports leaders admitted yesterday that
\nlack of preparation tops the list of factors causing the poor
\nresults achieved by Indonesian athletes at the just concluded
\n18th Southeast Asian Games.<\/p>\n
In a meeting led by chairman of the National Sports Council
\n(KONI) Wismoyo Arismunandar yesterday, coaches and team managers
\nof all sports in which Indonesia took part in the Games shared
\nthe blame.<\/p>\n
Pieter Noya, head coach for track and field, told reporters
\nduring a break in the meeting at the KONI office that sports
\nofficials did not provide themselves with information about the
\nprogress made by rival athletes.<\/p>\n
Citing an example, Pieter said that the Indonesian Track and
\nField Association overlooked two Philippine track and field
\nathletes, Hector Begeo and Lasketti.<\/p>\n
\"Begeo, for example, lives and trains in Australia. We failed
\nto know his up-to-date record because our athletes never met him
\nin a sports event before the Games,\" Pieter said.<\/p>\n
Indonesia managed only seven gold, eight silver and 10 bronze
\nmedals from track and field, far below the set target of 11 gold
\nmedals. In contrast, Thailand's spirited athletes dashed to a
\nhaul of 21 golds, 11 silvers and 11 bronzes.<\/p>\n
Pieter refused to recommend that Indonesian athletes undergo
\noverseas stints to keep up with their competitors.<\/p>\n
\"It depends on our athletes. Athletics is a sport for all here
\nand our athletes come from lower-income society. How can we send
\nthem abroad if they do not live properly,\" he added.<\/p>\n
An official of the Indonesian Archery Association, M. Dahlan,
\nsaid that the country's archers lacked mental preparation for
\nsuch an international event.<\/p>\n
\"They blew everything when they failed to maintain their nerve
\nat the most deciding moment,\" Dahlan said.<\/p>\n
Indonesia, which made clean sweeps in the two previous
\nepisodes of the Games, won two face-saving golds after a series
\nof upsets produced by its opponents from the Philippines in the
\nindividual events. The Filipinos took two golds and a bronze.<\/p>\n
Dahlan declined to blame the boisterous support from
\nIndonesian fans for distracting his athletes's concentration
\nduring the competitions.<\/p>\n
\"We can't prevent our supporters from clapping their hands.
\nAthletes should deal with it,\" he said.<\/p>\n
None of the people attending the meeting were wiling to
\ndisclose the results of the discussion. Project officer of the
\nnational SEA Games team, Arie Sudewo, was also present at the
\ngathering. (05)<\/p>",
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