Disappointing Games

The just concluded National Games are most likely to be remembered more for what they failed to accomplished. There were one or two bright spots but plenty of disappointments, especially over people's expectation that the 14th PON would be the zenith of national sporting achievements.

The Games finished on a low note by international and Asian standards. According to the organizers, 45 national records, 20 Southeast Asian records, 18 Asian records and six junior world records were broken.

This may not seem too bad, but none of the new Asian records were set in the prestigious track and field events, in swimming, or in other popular Olympic sports, such as gymnastics, cycling, shooting and weight lifting. The few new Southeast Asian records were nothing to brag about. The Asian records that were broken all came from power lifting, a little known discipline in the world sports scene. When it comes to breaking records, the Games did not say much for a country with a population of 200 million.

On a brighter note, there were several young, unknown athletes that successfully challenged older, established athletes. But their performances were nowhere near regional, let alone, international standards. It will take a lot more than PON to find and produce new talent to compete internationally.

PON was marred by bad refereeing and poor sportsmanship. Athletes boycotting events was unheard of previously, and violence on the field, while becoming commonplace, is simply unacceptable.

There were also complaints of bad organization, culminating in that bizarre scandal in the women's hockey competition. Having reached the final, Yogyakarta was told that it had no right to play in the first place because it was not registered for the competition. The final was played later, and Yogyakarta won a claim to the gold medal; but officially, it did not count.

The low crowd turnout took the fun out of the Games. It was no fun for athletes to compete and celebrate victory when there were only small crowds to share in their glory. It was also bizarre to read a report that one team had paid people to watch and support its players in a tennis match.

In terms of competition between the provinces, it was a no- contest for host Jakarta, running away from the pack with a haul of 135 gold medals. There was stiff competition for second place, won by West Java with 68 golds, while East Java settled for third with 63 golds. Central Java came fourth with 30 gold medals. The medal tally illustrated the sorry condition of sports' development outside Jakarta, and particularly outside Java. However, it was good to see that each of the 27 provinces returned home with at least one gold medal. The argument that the next PON should be held outside Jakarta, which has hosted the last eight games, is now gaining ground.

Overall, the 14th PON failed to enliven the stature of national sport. After a series of disappointing performances abroad -- from defeat in the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand last year to the big let down at the Atlanta Olympics -- many people had banked on PON to herald in a reversal of fortunes for Indonesia in international sport.

The PON flame was extinguished yesterday to mark the end of the Games, but those responsible for national sporting performances may have to burn the midnight oil. As the nation gives the thumbs down to the 14th PON, the count down to next year's SEA Games begins. These will also be held in Jakarta. Then there are the Asian Games in Thailand in 1998 to worry about.