Cuba offers coaches to Indonesia

Cuba offers coaches to Indonesia

JAKARTA (JP): Cuba has approached the National Sports Council
(KONI) about making available coaches and training facilities to
help develop Indonesian athletes, KONI official in charge of
research and development Imam Suyudi said on Monday.

"Cuba has a population of 12 million and 30,000 sports
experts, but they had impressive achievements in the Sydney
Olympic Games. Based on this, the authorities have offered us
low-cost experts and training facilities," he said.

Cuba finished eighth in the 2000 Games with 11 golds, 10
silvers and five bronzes, while Indonesia finished in 35th
position by taking home one gold, three silvers and two bronzes.

Imam said KONI was considering the suggestion, but the council
would let individual sports organizations decide if they needed
foreign coaches and training facilities to prepare for the 2001
Southeast Asian (SEA) Games. The biennial multisports event will
take place in Kuala Lumpur in September.

"We will discuss the possibility with the sports
organizations. They know their needs better (than us) and they
understand which countries could supply the best coaches for
their athletes. After we finish discussing it, we can settle the
deal.

"We can't afford to pay a lot of Cuban coaches, so we will
make the request according to our financial capability. We can
use this scheme for our SEA Games preparations," he said.

Imam said Cuba has gained worldwide recognition in several
sports, including volleyball, boxing, track and field, baseball,
basketball and martial arts.

Imam said Cuba offered Indonesian athletes the opportunity to
train in Cuba at a daily cost of US$40 for training sites and
accommodation. The cost does not include coaches' salaries and
Indonesian athletes' allowance.

He also said KONI and sports organizations would set up a team
of advisers to help screen foreign coaching candidates.

"The advisers will accompany the contingents. They must be
select people who can arrange training programs based on various
aspects, including physical fitness, skills, mental ability and
motivation. The advisers must also be experts in improving
physical conditioning using certain techniques that do not
violate international rules, for example, by avoiding the use of
banned nutritional supplements," he said. (ivy)