Adhyaksa ponders SEAG humiliation

JAKARTA: State Minister of Youth and Sports Affairs Adhyaksa Dault said on Wednesday the National Sports Council (KONI) should not take all the blame for Indonesia's disastrous performance in the recently ended 23rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

"Don't put it all on KONI, for we must ascertain the problem by involving all parties, from the sports community to experts, including journalists," he was quoted as saying by Antara news service on the sidelines of the inauguration ceremony of new ministers in Jakarta.

He felt one of the main reasons for the failure in the Games -- where nine-time winner Indonesia finished fifth in the medal standings, its lowest placing since it made its debut at the Games in 1977 -- was due to the lack of regular competition in the country.

"Look at the results of the women's soccer team. They rarely get to play at home, so why were they sent overseas?"

Adhyaksa said a special monitoring team would be established for the 2006 Asian Games in Doha.

"The monitoring team will be founded to ensure the sending of athletes to the Asian Games will have the appropriate budget and target so they can achieve the desired prestige." -- AP