Athletes promised jobs after weightlifting

Athletes promised jobs after weightlifting

JAKARTA (JP): Weightlifters who perform to the best of their
ability will have no problem finding a job when their sporting
days are over, said Soesilo Soedarman, chairman of the Indonesian
Weightlifting, Powerlifting and Bodybuilding Association.

"Lifters who honor the country can rest assured that they will
find employment," the newly re-elected chairman told reporters on
Saturday. Soesilo was briefing reporters on the association's new
administrative lineups and programs.

Soesilo said he was not paying lip service. "We have helped
many lifters find jobs in the Ministry of Tourism, Post and
Telecommunications' provincial offices," he said.

Soesilo, also the coordinating minister for political affairs
and security, was once the Minister of Tourism, Post and
Telecommunications.

Assuring athletes of life after lifting is a means of
motivation, he said. Almost all Indonesian lifters come from low-
income families. Most, if they finish school, have only high
school degrees. As a result, many become lifters to alleviate
family financial burdens or to live better lives.

Soesilo said the association has introduced a human resources
department to recruit holders of masters degrees in sports and
health education to help lifters and bodybuilders achieve optimum
results.

Soesilo also promised to extend more financial aid and
equipment to the association's provincial chapters to support
their local athletes.

Soesilo said that the association is looking forward to see
how its athletes finish at April's Asian men's weightlifting
championships in Japan. Indonesia will send 10 lifters to the
meet, which serves as the last Olympic qualifying round for Asian
lifters. "If they manage to win Indonesian Olympic berths, we
will ask the National Sports Council to consider sending them to
the Atlanta Olympics in July," Soesilo said. The championships,
to be held in Yachio, 30 kilometers from Tokyo, offer a total of
five Olympic berths, two for the winner and one each for those
who finish second to fourth. (arf)

New lineup of the Indonesian Weightlifting, Powerlifting and
Bodybuilding Association for the 1996/2000 period:
Chairman: Soesilo Soedarman.
Executive director: Budiono Kartohadiprodjo
Secretary-general: Djoko Pramono
Weightlifting commission: Yaya Sunarya, Harry Wibowo, P. Tarigan
Powerlifting commission: Warsito, Hadi Wiharja
Bodybuilding commission: Ronald Riupassa, Yopie Irawan