Olympic training set for February despite fund snag<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): National Sports Council (KONI) chairman Wismoyo
\nArismunandar said on Tuesday the organization would retain its
\ncommitment to a centralized training program for the 2000
\nOlympics despite lack of funds.<\/p>\n
\"We must start the training in February. It will be useless if
\nwe wait for the money, but we have no time left to prepare our
\nathletes to compete in the Olympics,\" he said after a
\nbreaking-of-the-fast meal<\/p>\n
\"We hope the Gelora Senayan Management Board (BPGS) will
\ndisburse its Rp 2 billion (US$276,820) financial assistance in
\nJanuary so we can start the training a month later,\" said
\nWismoyo, who is also a member of the BPGS.<\/p>\n
KONI requested Rp 5 billion from BPGS but the board approved
\nfunding of Rp 2 billion. KONI will need Rp 6.9 billion to prepare
\nand send nearly 50 athletes to the Olympics in September in
\nSydney.<\/p>\n
Wismoyo said that if there were fund constraints in the middle
\nof the training, KONI would ask its provincial chapters and
\nsports organizations to help by financing training programs for
\ntheir athletes already qualified for the Olympics.<\/p>\n
\"We did the same thing for the 1999 Southeast Asian Games in
\nBrunei Darussalam last August but it wasn't used to optimal
\neffect. We need to urge and push them to help us more,\" he said.<\/p>\n
A total of 13 Indonesian athletes have qualified for the
\nOlympics from track and field, swimming, diving, weightlifting,
\narchery, windsurfing and tae kwon do. KONI will include about 20
\nshuttlers for the Olympics.<\/p>\n
Wismoyo acknowledge the lone hope for gold was in badminton,
\nin which it won medals in the 1992 and 1996 Olympics.<\/p>\n
\"However, we also have a chance to win medals in tae kwon do
\nand windsurfing,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Earlier Tuesday, KONI secretary general, Rudolf S. Warouw,
\nmentioned archery, badminton, basketball, rowing, tennis, track
\nand field and windsurfing sports organizations to receive regular
\nfunding from the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Olympic
\nSolidarity fund to start courses for local coaches next year.<\/p>\n
\"The Olympic Solidarity fund asked for the coach courses
\nschedule by the end of this year at the latest. I suggested the
\nsports organizations invite regional coaches to attend the
\ncourses,\" Warouw said after meeting with representatives from
\nfive sports organizations.<\/p>\n
Officials from the Indonesian Rowing Association (PODSI) and
\nthe Indonesian Yachting and Windsurfing Association (Porlasi)
\nfailed to show up at the meeting.<\/p>\n
Warouw said Olympic Solidarity provided US$40,000 annually for
\nthe courses. Only Olympic sports qualify for the funds.<\/p>\n
\"Each sport is given $5,000 for holding a course. Courses are
\nlimited to 20 participants. If they want to invite more people
\nthan that, they should use their own bank account,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Warouw said the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) had
\nfailed to hold courses this year, citing a tight schedule as the
\nreason.<\/p>\n
\"They will start the course next year. They will still receive
\nfunding,\" he said.<\/p>\n
When asked why basketball was receiving funds rather than
\nother national sports whose athletes are appearing at the
\nOlympics, Warouw said he was trying to improve basketball at the
\nregional level.<\/p>\n
\"Basketball needs improvement so it can dominate at the
\nSoutheast Asian (SEA) Games and Asian Games,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Warouw also dismissed a report in a national weekly magazine
\nalleging KONI and the office of the state minister of youth
\naffairs and sports had issued a permit for PT Indo Argo to open
\nelectronic gambling centers.<\/p>\n
\"KONI has never issued a permit. If PT Indo Argo is seeking
\npublic funds, it should coordinate with the office of the state
\nminister of youth affairs and sports. I don't know if KONI's
\nprovincial branches have issued permits to open gambling centers
\nin their respective areas. So far, we have not received any
\nreports on that issue,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Gatra weekly reported in its Dec. 18 edition that PT Indo Argo
\nhad received a permit from KONI's chairman and the office of
\nstate minister of youth affairs and sports to open electronic
\ngambling centers. It added the company had also received a permit
\nfrom local authorities to open the places. (ivy\/yan)<\/p>",
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