Boxing body rethinks hiring Cuban coach
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Amateur Boxing Association (Pertina) has expressed doubt about the need to hire Cuban coach Carlos J. Penate Torres to improve Indonesian boxers' chances for the 2000 Olympic Games qualifying round.
Pertina technical commission official Ferry Moniaga said on Friday that the organization's officials and coaches would hold a discussion before deciding whether to officially hire Torres in order to increase the national coaches' knowledge.
"So far, foreign coaches only improved our boxers skills, while our national coaches in Pertina provincial chapters needed their assistance to improve their knowledge," he said.
Since 1972, seven coaches have worked for the Indonesian team. They were Thomas Sarge Johnson and Robert Linch of the United States of America, Rumanian Oion Popa, Yuri Paehennenko of the then Soviet Union, Rimeo Kreiger of the Netherlands and Cubans Isidiro Trotman and Julio Lee Hechavaria.
Indonesian boxers best performance was at the 1972 Olympics in Muenchen, Germany, where Ferry reached the top five. In the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, veteran boxer Albert Papilaya earned seventh place, while at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, La Paene Masara was able to finish in the top six.
So far, no Indonesian boxers has qualified for the 2000 Olympics. Four boxers -- light flyweight La Paene Masara, flyweight Hermansen Ballo, light welterweight Willem Papilaya and welterweight Bara Gomies -- failed to qualify in championships held in October in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
"Based on the results, we realize that hiring foreign coaches may not bring a great advantage especially to face the upcoming 2000 Olympics," Ferry told Antara.
"We need to seek out another alternative, perhaps by fielding them to coach juniors for a long-term period," he added.
Another national coach, Bahtar Jasa, supported Ferry's idea, saying that hiring a Cuban coach was needed to stage a continuous training program for juniors.
Beach Volleyball
Separately, the Indonesian Volleyball Association (PBVSI) officially announced its withdrawal from the beach volleyball 2000 Olympics qualifying round due to financial problems.
"Even if our spikers qualify for the Olympics, we will still need a lot of money to compete on international circuits as a part of the qualifying round," PBVSI official in charge of the beach volleyball training center Ahmed Solihin said on Wednesday.
Ahmed said the beach volleyballers would compete on the Asian circuits instead.
He said the decision was made after evaluating PBVSI's financial condition and its slim chance at the Olympics.
"Even if we qualified for the Olympics, it would be useless if we had to make an early exit. It's a waste," he said.
Agus Salim and Irilkhun Shofanna hold world rankings in the 40s after competing on international circuits for three months in Europe at a cost of US$40,000.
They would have to compete at more events to reach the world 24th position to qualify for the Olympics, meaning PBVSI would need to spend more money.
The monthly Asian circuits will start in February in Manila. Indonesia is still negotiating terms for its inclusion on the circuit. (yan)