Discrepancies in governing sports in Indonesia

Discrepancies in governing sports in Indonesia

By Arif Suryobuwono

JAKARTA (JP): This year has exposed the awkward relationship
between the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and the National
Sports Governing Body (KONI), especially following Indonesia's
poor showing at the 12th Asian Games in Hiroshima, Japan, which
was concluded on Oct. 16.

The sensitive point was touched on when Minister of Youth
Affairs and Sports Hayono Isman attributed Indonesian squad's
failure at the Games to KONI's poor management, a result of
having too many sports it has under its auspices.

At present, KONI handles 50 sports associations, from official
Olympic sports to recreational sports such as mountaineering,
jogging, biking and even marching bands.

"We should follow the Olympics rules by having two separate
bodies, one of which should be concentrated on the official
Olympics sports only," Hayono said.

But KONI's chairman Surono rejected the suggestion, saying
that the Indonesian Olympics Committee (KOI), the Olympic body
Hayono envisaged, had been set up a long time ago and that
separating KOI from KONI "would only add unnecessary
administrative work."

The government has no right to intervene in KOI's affairs,
added Surono, who is also KOI chairman.

Hayono, when confronted, acknowledged that KOI has been part
of KONI since the latter's establishment in 1966, "but I think
its existence should be made more clearly felt by placing it
beneath KONI structurally. As a consequence, there should, of
course, be someone to chair KOI."

However, early this month Surono said that if he should be
reelected as KONI chairman in its congress next month, the first
step he would take would be to scout talents as it is a crucial
task which has not been properly done by most sports associations
under KONI's patronage. He did not make any comment on Hayono's
suggestions.

Seniority

So now will the focus be on talent scouting or restructuring
KONI's management? Combining them would do, but one should
perhaps ask which of the two bodies has the greater authority,
which is a sticky issue to communicate due to a "seniority
syndrome".

Surono is far more senior than Hayono, in terms of age,
experience and terms of office. Moreover, Surono is a retired
general while Hayono is not.

Hence, Hayono had to use his senior assistant, Imam Sujudi, to
remind KONI to stick to a presidential decree known as Kepres
44/93.

"All parties involved in national sports development have
followed their own ways. Had they followed the decree, efforts to
develop Indonesian sports would not have been divided," Sujudi
said one day before a sports symposium was held.

The decree places the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports as
coordinator of KONI's activities but does not specifically
mention its relation with the Ministry of Education and Culture.

Hence, when Sujudi made it clear that the parties he referred
to are KONI, the Ministry of Education and Culture and his
office, it was clear that his message was aimed at KONI.

Rebuke

Should KONI perceive what Sujudi said as a rebuke?

"A rebuke is not necessary. We appreciate seniority. We even
want to learn from our seniors on how to apply the decree. But
each party should respect the decree," Sujudi said, quite
diplomatically.

A day later, Hayono, speaking at the sports symposium,
reminded participants that the decree was the latest, thus
annulled its predecessors. By saying this, he implied that the
preceding presidential Kepres 44/1984 decree, which authorizes
KONI to coordinate amateur sports in Indonesia, was no longer
effective.

At this point, Hayono's boldness to urge his senior to follow
what he thinks is necessary to make amends for the failure, is
more result-oriented than finding a scapegoat to which KONI
resorted to in the first instance.

Surono, instead of admitting failure, said it was just an off-
target showing due to "unforeseen circumstances" such as
the low wind pressure that proved detrimental to the Indonesian
wind surfing team and the presence of the former Soviet Union's
republics.

Then Suweno, KONI's executive director, insisted that though
failing to reach their target, Indonesian squad's performance
during the Games showed considerable improvement. Some athletes
even managed to come close to Asian records but were in the end
outdone by other countries.

As criticism piled up, Surono stressed that actually it was
each sports organization, not KONI, which should be counted as
responsible for the poor performance of its athletes.

KONI's task was confined to serving as an umbrella body and
providing funds for those organizations, Surono argued.

As for Suweno, he later conceded his responsibility for the
squad's failure and "would gladly give up my post if next month's
KONI congress decides on my dismissal."

Dismissal, of course, is the easiest and quickest way to dash
an unsatisfactory result. Its opposite, resignation, provides the
easiest and quickest way of escaping further responsibility. Yet,
the problems will still be there.