PABBSI denies bias in selection of lifters<\/p>\n
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Weightlifting, Powerlifting and Bodybuilding
\nAssociation (PABBSI) denied on Tuesday any bias in nominating the
\nlifters for the 2002 Asian Games.<\/p>\n
\"That's not true. What we have taken into account in the
\nselection procedure is an assessment of competitiveness,\"
\nGandrung, PABBSI's executive director, told reporters here.<\/p>\n
The policy defies one of the three criteria set by the
\nNational Sports Council (KONI) that athletes qualifying for the
\nAsian Games must have been finalists at the recent Kuala Lumpur
\nSEA Games.<\/p>\n
Gandrung said that PABBSI's own evaluation of the athletes'
\nmedal prospects had been done in consultation with KONI.<\/p>\n
\"We are not too preoccupied by athletes' showing in Kuala
\nLumpur, because, as far as weightlifting is concerned, it could
\nbe misleading compared to Asian levels in terms of ranking,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The continent's biggest multi-event sporting showcase will be
\nheld in Pusan, South Korea, next September, for which Indonesia
\nhas reserved entries in the contingent for around 150 athletes in
\n17 events.<\/p>\n
KONI has put aside 41 athletes as top priority choices deemed
\nto possess better medal prospects.<\/p>\n
The top priority list formerly included four weightlifters --
\nErwin Abdullah of South Sulawesi, Sri Indriyani of Lampung, Lisa
\nRumbewas of South Kalimantan and Rosmaniar of Jambi -- who have
\nnow been relegated to secondary status after KONI determined that
\nPABBSI had revised the criteria.<\/p>\n
Local media have played on speculations that PABBSI
\nweightlifting officials were keen to discriminate against lifters
\nfrom Lampung, the sport's strongest powershouse in the country.<\/p>\n
\"How did they arrive at such a judgment? Besides Sri, we have
\nMisdan Yunip, Yadi Setiyadi and Sri Hartati from Lampung,\" The
\nother nominee is Tati Pratiwi from Central Java.<\/p>\n
The four athletes reserved as second choice are to start their
\ncollective training with the rest of the contingent members next
\nJanuary.<\/p>\n
Gandrung said the fact that the Asian Games were a class apart
\nfrom SEA Games was why PABBSI overlooked certain athletes who
\nexcelled in Kuala Lumpur.<\/p>\n
\"Yudi Suhartono for example, he may have won a gold in Kuala
\nLumpur, but he is only eighth in Asia. His mark remains 30
\nkilograms shy of the Asia number three,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The argument justified PABBSI's selection of Lisa and
\nIndriyani, who, despite being in poor form in the SEA Games,
\nfinished second and third at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.<\/p>",
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