Wismoyo accepts top Sports Council job<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Wismoyo Arismunandar finally agreed, yesterday,
\nto accept the chairmanship of the National Sports Council (KONI),
\nin place of Surono, if it is offered to him by the electoral
\nboard tonight. His announcement has put an end to weeks of
\ndiscussion within Indonesia's peak sports body about the
\nsuccession.<\/p>\n
Wismoyo, who is also the Army Chief of Staff, kept the 600
\nparticipants of KONI's congress waiting in uncertainty until the
\nend of second day of the three-day meeting yesterday. He refused
\nto chair the electoral board, proposing that the chair be
\noccupied, instead, by the incumbent Surono.<\/p>\n
The board, consisting of a maximum of three members
\nrepresenting KONI, sports organizations and KONI's chapters, has
\nthe right to choose a new chairman as well as KONI's leadership
\nboard.<\/p>\n
Former three-time chairman of the Indonesian Judo Association,
\nWismoyo, agreed in principle to assume KONI's helm after a 15-
\nminute talk at the Halim Perdanakusuma military airport with four
\nrepresentatives of the congress, led by outgoing Executive
\nChairman Soeweno. Wismoyo was about to leave for Lampung to
\ninspect the military civic mission there.<\/p>\n
Wismoyo told Soeweno that he would think over the request,
\nreminding him that he would soon be retiring from his post in the
\nArmy.<\/p>\n
But when Soeweno said the congress had already taken his
\nforeseeable retirement into consideration, Wismoyo finally said,
\nas quoted by Timbul Thomas Lubis: \"If the congress really wants
\nme, then with a feeling of deep emotion I shall accept this
\nhonor.\"<\/p>\n
Wismoyo then signed a statement stating his acceptance.
\nWismoyo is expected to attend KONI's final meeting at the Senayan
\nindoor stadium complex at 9 p.m. this evening.<\/p>\n
Chairman of the congress Warsito decided to send the delegates
\nto Halim to speak to Wismoyo after observing that 15 provincial
\nchapters had swung their full weight behind Wismoyo during the
\nfirst session of the congress.<\/p>\n
\"We need to know his (Wismoyo's) answer as soon as possible,\"
\nsaid Warsito, who is also West Nusa Tenggara Governor.<\/p>\n
The envoys included Sri Hastuti Mardiko of the Indonesian
\nGymnastics Association and Joko Mulyo Mangunprawiro of the
\nIndonesian Wrestling Association.<\/p>\n
Warsito said Wismoyo's refusal to lead the electoral board
\nwould not serve as a hurdle for the congress. \"He has the right
\nto say no (to the chairmanship of the electoral board), but let
\nthe congress decide,\" Warsito said.<\/p>\n
Revised system<\/p>\n
Representatives of KONI's 27 provincial chapters as well as
\nits 50 sports and sports-related organizations held discussions
\nyesterday on the need to revise the current system of counting
\nmedals and the need for a ruling outlawing the practice of
\nathlete headhunting in other provinces.<\/p>\n
Zulfirman Siregar, the North Sumatra representative, joined
\nthe majority in criticizing the \"unfair\" current system of medals
\ntallying in the National Games which allowed \"a gold medal to
\novershadow 1,000 silvers.\"<\/p>\n
He proposed a points system which would give five points to
\ngold, three to silver and one to bronze.<\/p>\n
Other debates were on whether the date of the 14th National
\nGames should be brought forward and whether or not the
\nIndonesian Olympic Committee should be a separate body from KONI.<\/p>\n
KONI plans to move forward the 14th National Games from 1997
\nto 1996 because of the general election. Those against the
\nproposal said that the change would be detrimental to their
\nbudgets.<\/p>\n
Most provincial representatives disagreed with a suggestion of
\nMinister of Youth Affairs and Sports Hayono Isman that the
\npresent organizational structure should be altered to completely
\nseparate the Indonesian Olympic Committee from KONI.<\/p>\n
\"Their separation would not be a guarantee that each would
\nwork well,\" said the representative of the Indonesian Bowling
\nAssociation. (arf\/amd)<\/p>",
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