Equestrian team to compete at Asiad

JAKARTA (JP): The National Sports Council (KONI) is at the center of yet more controversy on its selection of athletes for the 13th Asian Games after it gave the green light to equestrians to compete in Bangkok.

Chairman of the council Wismoyo Arismunadar justified yesterday the decision for both practical grounds and medal- winning prospects.

"They will be in Thailand until before the Asiad, so why don't we let them stay longer for the Games? Their international achievements are okay, and they can cover their own expenses," he said.

"This is a special policy. We shouldn't argue about this. Sometimes a policy goes against the rules but we can accept it for the sake of its benefits."

The council earlier announced that only prospective medal winners would form the national team for the Asiad. Selection of the athletes was to be based on their records or world rankings.

Equestrian events are not listed among the priority sports for Indonesia in this year's Asiad. Due to the financial crisis, the council expects to send a tiny team to the quadrennial games.

But Wismoyo has also backed the national soccer team's return to the Games, despite its failure to lift an international title since clinching the Southeast Asian Games gold in 1989.

The dispensations drew a dressing-down from national tennis team manager, Benny Mailili, who accused the council Tuesday of adhering to a double standard allowing "rich" sports organizations to send their athletes to the Games.

The equestrian team comprises Ardi Hapsoro, Indra Rosendi, Roy Ibrahim, Rafiq Hakim Radinal, Putri Wulandari and Kurniadi Mustopha. They will compete in six events of the Southeast Asian league of the Volvo World Cup, one stop of which will be in Thailand in November.

They leave for the Malaysian leg tomorrow.

Rafiq, who also chairs the Jakarta branch of the Indonesian Horse Society, said both the league and the Asian Games were among the qualifying events for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.

Ardi, the country's best hope in the individual event, said the team had a major chance to win at least a bronze medal in the Asiad equestrian team event.

"We will only face stiff challenges from Saudi Arabia and Japan," said Ardi, runner-up in the 1997 SEA league series.

Rafiq said land transportation and accommodation fees for the overseas trips alone would cost the society about Rp 500 million (US$38,500).

The Navy has promised to provide ships to transport horses and vehicles for the equestrian team. (yan)