Agung tells KONI to put more effort into training athletes

Agung tells KONI to put more effort into training athletes

JAKARTA (JP): State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Agung
Laksono urged the National Sports Council (KONI) to prioritize
athlete's achievement in order to dominate regional sports.

Agung told reporters following a meeting with KONI officials
at his office on Friday that KONI should arrange a proposal for a
training program in the 2001 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Kuala
Lumpur instead of discussing the bidding of the 2006 Asian Games.

"I told them to listen to the people's wish. Please review the
bidding plan. Don't concentrate too much on the bidding for the
Asian Games while at the same time forgetting about the training
for the 2001 SEA Games,"

"It doesn't mean that I do not agree with the bid, but we have
to be realistic. I appreciate KONI's plan to host the Asian
Games. Should we host the games? I want this country to be
successful in the athletes achievement first and not only in
keeping our honor," he said.

Agung later said that KONI should prove that it can work with
sports federations to train the athletes to regain the overall
title in the 2001 SEA Games before setting their eyes on
dominating higher level events such as the Asian Games.

"I don't want to go against KONI's target in 2006 Asian Games.
But we have to win," he said.

Indonesia has been campaigning for the 2006 games. It last
hosted the games in 1962. Malaysia, India, Hong Kong, Qatar,
Syria and Uzbekistan are also competing for the right to host the
games. The Olympic Council of Asia will announce the winning bid
in October 2000.

He also lashed out at KONI's plan to recommend the House of
Representatives to review their vision for national development
in the state guidelines (GBHN), which stipulates that Indonesia
must win the overall title in any sports events which are held
during the five-year period of an administration.

"GBHN represents the people's voice. Our failure in the 1999
SEA Games has become the talk of the town. If we can't overcome
our opponents in the southeast Asian region, how can we win in
larger international events? The overall title and achievement
should go together," he said.

"I told KONI to win the overall title while improving our
athletes' performances in the next SEA Games. We are not
ambitious, but we can achieve the double target because we have
won the titles several times. All the time we lose against the
same countries: either Thailand or Malaysia," he said.

He also said that KONI should submit a budget for training in
its proposal. "I asked them not to request financial support
three or four months before the events," he said.

KONI presented the conclusion of a meeting last week to
evaluate Indonesia's poor showing at the SEA Games in August at
Agung's office on Friday.

The presentation, given by Indra Djati Sidi head of the
special task force, concluded that three months of training was
not enough to improve physical skills. (ivy)