Curfew-breaking athlete warned

Curfew-breaking athlete warned

Eva C. Komandjaja, Jakarta

The 22nd SEA Games gold medalist Jenny Zeannet said that she
was disappointed that the Indonesian Karate-Do Association
(Forki) had given her a warning for violating team rules.

Jenny, the 53-kilogram fighter, is said to have frequently
disobeyed the athlete's curfew of 9:30 p.m every night and is
often absent during mealtime.

For her disobedience, Jenny could have even been dropped from
the elite Indonesia Awakens (IA) development program. But at the
recent meeting the Forki and the National Sports Council (KONI)
members decided the karate athlete would just be given a warning
letter.

Nevertheless, Jenny still voiced her disappointment, saying
that Forki officials should have spoken to her directly instead
of issuing the formal reprimand.

Jenny admitted that she arrived back at the Century Park
Hotel, the athletes' official residence, after curfew on at least
three occasions, but said that she had no idea lateness could
cost someone their place in the national development program.

"The coach should have told me first instead of giving me a
warning letter. Besides, I never knew that such a small thing
could exclude me from the IA. If I had known, I would have been
more careful," she said here on Friday.

Jenny is one of nine karatekas and 36 other Indonesian
hopefuls from 12 sports currently undergoing an intense training
camp under the IA program.

The IA program aims to improve Indonesia's performances in
international competitions with the main target of looking to win
10 gold medals at the 2006 Asian Games.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Track and Field Association (PASI)
has submitted four candidates to replace dismissed pole vaulter
Ni Putu Desi Margawati, the reigning Southeast Asian Games pole
vault champion.

The candidates are Erni Ulatningsih and Ferry Subnaveu
(women's marathon), Oliva Sadi (women's 1,500 meters) and
Djauhari Johan (men's 10,000 meters).

Desi has been eliminated from the program apparently because
the SEA Games gold medalist had not been "serious" in training,
but she denied that.

She said that she did not want to continue in the IA program
because her mentor Hadi Wacono was not included on the coaching
staff.

PASI Secretary-General Tigor Tanjung said that they would
consider hiring Hadi and give Desi a second chance to return to
the program after the National Games (PON) in Palembang, South
Sumatra, in September.