National striker Kurniawan fails doping tests<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's best striker Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto
\nhas made hot news again after testing positive in precompetition
\ndoping tests done by the National Sports Council (KONI) just
\nbefore he was to join the 20th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games squad.<\/p>\n
SEA Games training director, Imron Z.S., told reporters on
\nThursday that Kurniawan, 23, tested positive for amphetamines
\nafter KONI and the Jakarta doping laboratory conducted the tests
\nin June and this month.<\/p>\n
\"KONI decided to ban Kurniawan from competing in Brunei. I
\nhave contacted the secretary-general of the All-Indonesian Soccer
\nFederation (PSSI) and told him to find a substitute otherwise the
\nnational team should play with the remaining 17 players,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The national soccer team left Indonesia on July 27 as it must
\nprepare for its first match in Group B against Cambodia on
\nSaturday. KONI withheld Kurniawan's passport and ticket in order
\nto prevent him from leaving the country.<\/p>\n
\"Two members of the soccer team tested positive for the
\nsubstance in the first test. I informed PSSI chairman Agum
\nGumelar and its officials, asking them to get them cleaned up in
\nthe remaining six weeks. I didn't know Kurniawan was addicted to
\nthe substance,\" he said, refusing to name the other player.<\/p>\n
\"Kurniawan also failed the second test on July 22, but I'm not
\nimmediately taking stern action against him. I first had to tell
\nthe PSSI chairman the results.\"<\/p>\n
Amphetamines, which is included as a banned substance on the
\ndoping list, is usually used to reduce weight and to relieve
\ndepression. The substance is also found in psychotropic drugs
\nsuch as shabu-shabu and ecstasy.<\/p>\n
Kurniawan declined to comment on the matter when visited by
\nreporters in his room in Hotel Atlet Century Park in Senayan.<\/p>\n
\"I have no comment on this, please ask Pak Agum,\" said
\nKurniawan, who played for FC Luzern in Switzerland from 1995 to
\n1996 before joining home favorite Pelita Mastrans (now Pelita
\nBakrie).<\/p>\n
Kurniawan had hoped to compete in the Games, but said he had
\nno idea whether he would be allowed by PSSI to join his team in
\nBandar Seri Begawan.<\/p>\n
\"I don't know,\" he said before shutting the door.<\/p>\n
KONI vice chairman, Arie Sudewo, was upset with the turn of
\nevents.<\/p>\n
\"I urge PSSI and Kurniawan's club to pay more attention to his
\nprogress in the future. They must teach him to become a
\nprofessional player and avoid bad things which could turn him
\nfrom a hero to zero,\" he said, adding that he was also an admirer
\nof Kurniawan's.<\/p>\n
\"But I think we were lucky to find out before the competition.
\nIf Kurniawan tested positive at the Games, I can't imagine what
\nthe consequences would've been,\" he said.<\/p>\n
PSSI secretary-general Noegraha Besoes said PSSI was awaiting
\na second opinion on the tests from the federation's medical team
\nof Dr. Moh. Nasrun and Dr. Supriyantoro.<\/p>\n
Agum is expected to announce the results to the public soon.<\/p>\n
\"I have received the test results from KONI and reported to
\nthe chairman, and he told me to recheck. So we set up the medical
\nteam. This is not a small problem,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Noegraha said the decision of whether to send Kurniawan to the
\nGames remained with KONI only if tests by PSSI's medical team
\nwere negative.<\/p>\n
Kurniawan, a member of the Primavera junior team which trained
\nin Italy in 1993, has been called Indonesia's best striker. He
\nstarted his career in training centers in Salatiga, Central Java,
\nand Ragunan Sports School in South Jakarta. (ivy\/yan)<\/p>",
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