SEA Games training director accepts chosen wushu team<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The 19th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games training
\ndirector and project officers have accepted the team chosen by
\nthe Indonesian Wushu Association for the coming Games.<\/p>\n
The training director, Djoko Pramono, said yesterday that
\neveryone was expected to accept the decision for the sake of the
\ncountry at the biennial event, which starts Oct. 11 and ends Oct.
\n19.<\/p>\n
\"This is what we thought was the best thing to do. We have to
\nget over all problems because the event is only 57 days away,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, several wushu officials complained that the final
\nselection in Beijing was unfair because the best athletes were
\nexcluded from the national squad.<\/p>\n
The association's Central Java branch official, Robert Budi
\nWibawa, East Java branch official Sereno, West Java branch
\nofficial Halim Wiranata, North Sumatra branch official Supandi
\nKusuma and the association's former secretary-general,
\nMediteransjah, all said they were not happy with the
\nassociation's chairman, Antonius Haliman.<\/p>\n
They complained Tuesday that only 13 athletes were selected
\nfor 19 events.<\/p>\n
\"The decision is very weird. I don't understand how Indonesia
\ncan accept it. It means an athlete has to compete in two events
\nand it will reduce our chances of winning more gold medals,\"
\nMediteransjah said.<\/p>\n
\"Some people are not satisfied with the results. But now we
\nhave the squad, either the selection was fair or not. That's what
\nwe have now,\" Djoko said.<\/p>\n
Antonius said \"don't worry about that. Each athlete can
\ncompete in three events and that's why we selected only 13
\nathletes\".<\/p>\n
He said the 10 participating countries' representatives at
\nlast year's executive council meeting had agreed with the
\ndecision.<\/p>\n
\"No other countries complained about the decision to feature
\n13 athletes. We should not worry that some events will be
\ncanceled because of a lack of participants,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The selection in Beijing also created controversy because
\nathletes' parents and association branch officials were banned
\nfrom watching it.<\/p>\n
The letter announcing the ban letter was signed by wushu
\ntraining director Darius Apan.<\/p>\n
Djoko said \"it's because Antonius didn't want another
\ncontroversy to occur during the selection. All the jurors came
\nfrom Beijing. Indonesia was only represented by Darius.\"<\/p>\n
The Jakarta, Central Java, East Java, West Java and North
\nSumatra branches, which had athletes in China, had to contribute
\nRp 6 million (US$2,264) toward the two-month stint.<\/p>\n
The association named Yenny CP, Olivia Setiadi, Shirley and
\nZaenab to compete in the women's taulo (gymnastic) and Hartono
\nSeputro, Tanamal, Sutantyo Purnamadjaja and Herman Wijaya to
\ncompete in the men's taulo.<\/p>\n
Teguh, Chris John Abby, Yani and Alfrits Maweru will compete
\nin the sansho (fighting).<\/p>\n
Indonesia is aiming to win six gold medals in Wushu at the
\nGames despite the association's internal problems.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, training project officer Togi Hutagaol said the SEA
\nGames consortium, which is chaired by President Soeharto's son
\nBambang Tri Hatmodjo, had handed over Rp 20.5 billion from its Rp
\n35 billion budget.<\/p>\n
\"We hope to receive the rest soon because we also need the
\nmoney to buy sports equipment and to make athletes' uniforms,\" he
\nsaid. (yan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/sea-games-training-director-accepts-chosen-wushu-team-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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