Best athletes deserve training privilege: KONI

Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The National Sports Council (KONI) will give the athletes that have the greatest medal-winning chances the privilege of training overseas for next year's Asian Games.

National training director Imron ZS told reporters on Friday that the special treatment was aimed at improving Indonesia's performance at the quadrennial sporting event, to be held in Pusan, South Korea.

Indonesia finished 11th in the medals tally at the Bangkok 1998 Asiad, with six gold, 10 silver and 11 bronze medals.

"The Asian Games is not the place to seek experience. It is the arena for us to win as many gold medals as possible," Imron said.

"That's why KONI is offering training privileges to athletes with gold medal chances, while at the same time we will also arrange regular training for the rest."

"The selected athletes will receive financial support starting next month and they will also have more opportunities for overseas try-outs."

At the Games, Indonesia will compete in archery, badminton, cycling, beach volleyball, billiards, bodybuilding, boxing, canoeing, gymnastics, judo, karate, rowing, sailing, shooting, swimming, tae kwon do, tennis, track and field, weightlifting and wushu.

KONI has requested that a training fund of Rp 27 billion (US$2.8 million), via the Ministry of National Education, be included in the 2002 State Budget.

The sports council will also use the $70,000 Olympic Solidarity fund already pledged by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to finance the training session for Asiad.

"All athletes, however, must remind themselves that being in the training center doesn't mean they will automatically get a seat to Pusan," said Imron.

"KONI has set clear-cut requirements for athletes who wish to join the Asian Games training stint. They should either have been finalists at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games last month or be ranked within the top five in Asia, or be those with outstanding achievements."

KONI would maintain close discussion with sports organizations to determine which athletes deserved a place in the national team, according to Imron.

He expected all athletes to maintain their physical fitness and reach 60 percent of their peak form by the end of this year or early next year.

"The centralized training center is to start next January, so all athletes must maintain their form during the current break," he said.

KONI will examine athletes' fitness prior to the training session and will conduct another test next May to monitor their progress. Those who fail to improve will be dropped from the training program, Imron added.

Meanwhile, KONI vice chairman Arie Sudewo told reporters that KONI was waiting for reports from a group of sports officials assigned to drafting the training schedule and methods for the Asian Games.

"The officials should have submitted their proposal before the end of this year because we want the training center to start next January," Arie said.