PASI urged to optimize RDC's resources<\/p>\n
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Athletics Association (PASI) has been at the
\ncenter of criticism over its failure to make the full use of the
\nJakarta-based Regional Development Center (RDC) to help improve
\nits track and field athletes' international performance.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta RDC is the regional office of the International
\nAssociation of Athletic's Federation (IAAF) and is focused on
\nhelping improve athletics in 19 Asian countries.<\/p>\n
However, being the home base for the Asian region, Indonesia,
\naccording to RDC Director Ria Lumintuarso, should have benefited
\nmore and could have optimized RDC's resources for the country's
\nathletics development.<\/p>\n
\"We have the facility such as a library which could be used as
\na great information source. We have the latest information and as
\nlong as they come to RDC as often as possible, they should be
\nable to keep up with athletics training and development in the
\nworld,\" Ria said on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of a
\ntwo-day seminar on technology information here on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
\"The problem is that, whilst the books are written in English,
\nmany of our coaches or athletics officials have poor English.
\nThat's the barrier,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Indonesia seems to be undergoing a decline in athletics
\nsignified by two recent competitions.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian athletics team only managed to garner three of
\nthe 45 gold medals on offer at the 2001 SEA Games in Malaysia. In
\nAsia, Supriati Sutono's gold at the 1998 Asian Games appeared to
\nbe the last achievement as the 2002 Asian games saw the team
\narrive home empty-handed.<\/p>\n
Many years ago, Indonesian marathoner Gurnam Singh won the
\nbronze medal in the fourth Asian Games in Jakarta in 1962.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, sprinter Purnomo earned a spot in the semifinals of
\n100-meter sprint in the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. He was the
\nonly representative from Asia at the time.<\/p>\n
Aside from the fact that many other factors weigh on track and
\nfield success, Ria believes that optimal utilization of the
\nresources within the RDC will be able to subsequently help
\nenhance Indonesia's athletics performance.<\/p>\n
As far as numbers are concerned, Indonesia also has an
\nadvantage over the number of participants allowed to attend RDC-
\ninitiated seminars.<\/p>\n
At the current seminar, Indonesia is represented by 14
\nparticipants, four of whom are PASI officials and 10 others from
\nthe National Education Ministry.<\/p>\n
Ria said the seminar was seeking ways to upgrade
\ncommunications system for the federations to be able to obtain
\neasy, quick access on athletics information.<\/p>\n
\"We are establishing a computerized system of mail boxes, by
\nwhich information from the IAAF will readily and instantly reach
\nthe federations,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"Such information technology is already familiar to the
\nfederations. However, some of us don't have enough knowledge
\nabout the technology and that needs to change.\"<\/p>\n
Participants from 16 of 19 countries under the RDC's
\nsupervision attended the seminar, which has Italian Emanuelle
\nPerotti Nigra as the keynote speaker.<\/p>\n
The participating countries are Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia,
\nIndia, Iran, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal,
\nPakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and
\nVietnam. Meanwhile, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan were
\nabsent.<\/p>",
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