Doping tests to be released next week

JAKARTA (JP): Chairman of the National Sports Council Wismoyo Arismunandar is scheduled to announce the results of the doping tests from the 14th National Games after Sept. 29.

Secretary-general of the Games Eddy Widodo said on Monday that he could not give an exact date for the announcement.

"But the doping commission will finish testing 1,200 urine samples on Sept. 29. The results will be presented to the chairman," he said.

Eddy said that the new Indonesian doping laboratory, which was inaugurated in August, can test 50 samples a day.

The laboratory, located in Rawa Kerbau, East Jakarta, was built in cooperation with the Sydney-based Australian Sports Drug Testing Laboratory in preparation for the 19th Southeast Asian Games next year in Jakarta.

Fourteen experts, including four Australians, are conducting the tests.

The Rp 5 billion (US$2.1 million) lab allows Indonesia to conduct its own doping tests. Indonesia used to send its samples to China or Australia, two of the three laboratories in the Asia Pacific region sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee. The third one is in Japan.

It will receive accreditation from the International Olympics Committee if the laboratory can test at least 2,000 samples in one year.

"To reach 2,000 is not difficult. Lots of national and international sports events will be staged here. And next year, we'll host the Southeast Asian Games," Eddy said.

Eddy said that the Games did not have any problems with funding.

"Although it was not as much as we had expected, there was no lack of funds," he said.

The organizer originally expected at least Rp 500 million in profit from ticket sales, but it only received Rp 440 million.

Out of 35 sports, only boxing, swimming, taekwondo, volleyball, badminton, track and field, basketball, and soccer made a profit from ticket sales. (yan)