Centralized training for Asiad delayed
Centralized training for Asiad delayed
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's medal-winning in the Asian Games
this December may fall below expectation because some sports
organizations failed to kick off their respective centralized
training program on schedule, a sports official warned yesterday.
The training director of the country's Games team, Albert
Paruntu, said some sports bodies had not even completed their
preparations for their centralized training.
"I'm very disappointed by their sluggish behavior. I don't
know whether they are doing this because they know their chances
of winning medals are slim. Most of them haven't spoken to me
yet," he said.
He said some sports bodies' officials requested delaying their
training programs pending completion of venues for the programs
and arrival of their athletes.
Albert refused to disclose which sports organizations he was
talking about, but promised to find out what was wrong with them.
"We have reported them to the National Sports Council and
asked it to remind them (of their obligations)," he said.
The council ordered 21 sports bodies whose athletes were
recruited for the Asiad to begin their centralized training early
last month after completing local training programs. The sports
include track and field, soccer, swimming, shooting, rowing and
canoeing, badminton, tennis and volleyball.
"Athletes from quantitative sports like rowing, track and
field, swimming and shooting always need longer training stints
than other athletes," Albert said.
He dismissed reports that financial woes were responsible for
delaying the start of the training programs.
"They have pledged before the sports council chairman to
provide half of the expenses needed for the centralized training
program," he said.
The deputy head of the sport council's athletes development
body, Muhammad Hindarto, said that the All-Indonesia Soccer
Federation was one of the unpunctual sports bodies.
Hindarto said the delay was inevitable because most of the
players selected were at present playing for their clubs in the
Indonesian league. The league ends on July 15.
"I don't think it is a serious matter. The competitions
themselves can serve as training as well, can't they?" Hindarto
said.
He said some other sports organizations, including the amateur
boxing association, were negotiating with other parties about
venues for their training programs.
"The boxing camp in Sentul is said to be strategic but the
boxing body has to pay too much for an outdoor boxing arena,"
Hindarto said.
He said the Sentul training center near Bogor, West Java, cost
the boxing body Rp 27 million (US$3,100) per month, a relatively
steep price in the current financial climate.
"That's why the boxing body is looking for a more comfortable
place at a more affordable price," Hindarto said. (emf)