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.