Former athletes face tough times

Former athletes face tough times

A sports career is no promise of a comfortable future in
Indonesia. Despite huge bonuses for gold medals in multisports
events like the Olympics, many also-ran athletes end up with
little after their careers end. The Jakarta Post's Primastuti
Handayani, Bruce Emond and Ivy Susanti examine what is being done
to help athletes face the challenges of life.

JAKARTA (JP): Martha Kase wakes up early every morning and
heads off to the Senayan sports complex in South Jakarta.

Years ago, it was the scene of many of her greatest triumphs
as one of the country's top long-distance runners.

Today, only meters from where she once stood on the podium to
receive a SEA Games silver medal for the 3,000 meters, the 28-
year-old mother of two sells instant noodles and coffee to make a
living.

She can only dream of the riches provided to today's athletes,
such as the Rp 1 billion (US$118,000) bonus for Sydney Olympic
badminton men's doubles gold medalists Chandra Wijaya and Tony
Gunawan, which was presented to them on Saturday night.

"I also want to be that rich," Martha said last week at her
stall. "I want to train again and ask my sister to look after
this place. I heard that even athletes who did not win anything
in the Olympics received Rp 3 million."

Gold in the Olympics has brought Tony and Candra a gold mine
in cash and merchandise from sponsors.

Their bonuses are equivalent to 200,000 working days on a
laborer's minimum wage. Many argue the bonuses are fitting,
considering that they sacrificed their childhood and youth to
train for this moment -- and brought positive international
attention to the country.

Yet the cash payouts from sponsors are about the sum total of
the rewards for the athletes, save for a thank you from the
government. They do not receive a lifetime allowance or benefits
to ensure their continued welfare once their playing days are
finished.

Those like Martha, who competed for the country but never
reached the very top of their sport, often struggle to make ends
meet. A former weightlifter has become an ojek (motorcycle taxi)
driver to support his family. A former gymnast visits friends to
beg for money to pay hospital bills.

An ex-runner in Medan, North Sumatra, was forced to sell his
medals to feed his family. It did not help -- he is now
destitute.

Some former athletes fault the sports system in the country,
where athletes are recruited for centralized training at an early
age but then left to their own devices after they retire.

"The National Sports Council (KONI) doesn't care about the
future of ex-athletes; once they've been used, that's enough
already," said Purnomo Muhammad Yudhi, the country's top sprinter
in the 1980s.

He is joining forces with other former athletes and
businesspeople to form a foundation, Yayasan Prestasi Anak
Bangsa, to help athletes plan for their future.

Former badminton star Ivana Lie said many athletes woke up too
late to the realization they needed other skills to fall back on.

"In sports organizations like KONI and the Indonesian
Badminton Association (PBSI) there should be a department to take
care of the athletes while they are still competing," said Ivana,
who owns a sportswear company in Bandung.

"It would take care of the player, sit down with him or her,
discuss targets and see what they want."

Ivana said she came to her own realization about securing her
future while still at the top of her game.

Although his organization is often criticized for not doing
enough for ex-athletes, KONI chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar also
complained about the government's neglect of athletes.

"There should be a commitment from the government to the
athletes. They have fulfilled the mission, they should earn
something in return."

A gold medalist in the 1992 Atlanta Olympics, Susy Susanti
said athletes strove to reach international standards, but there
was no guarantee of financial reward.

She said her sport provided opportunities for prize money in
its Grand Prix tournaments and other international events, but it
was tougher for others.

"When athletes are at the top, it is much easier for them to
earn money. But sometimes it's really difficult for amateur
sportspeople because they only have the chance to earn bonuses in
multisports events such as the National Games, the Southeast
Asian Games, the Asian Games and the Olympics."

Guarantee

In the Indonesian Amateur Athletics Association (PASI), all
athletes selected for centralized training must continue their
education. Some earn high school diplomas, and others study for
degrees in everything from economics to medicine.

Purnomo, now an executive with a sports equipment company, and
Carolina Riewpassa, who is a PASI official, are among those
former athletes who have gone onto successful careers.

The Indonesian Weightlifting, Powerlifting and Bodybuilding
Association (PABBSI) has continued the tradition of former
chairman Susilo Soedarman to cooperate with PT Pos Indonesia in
providing jobs for its athletes.

Olympic bronze medalists Sri Indriyani and Winarni are
registered as employees of the company in Lampung. They both are
training in the province.

Susy's husband, 1992 Olympic badminton gold medalist Alan
Budikusuma, said the government could ensure a better life for
athletes, such as providing them free housing, with electricity
and water.

"It happens in China and South Korea -- the houses belong to
the government but athletes are given the opportunity to live
there. If members of the House of Representatives have such
facilities, then why can't the government provide the same for
athletes? I dream of one day seeing it come true."

PABBSI chairman Dharma Surya said it was the responsibility of
the provinces to help out athletes who retired from centralized
training.

"Governors have an obligation to employ athletes in their
respective areas. Moreover, there will be provincial autonomy
next year. Therefore each province will have to set up a special
budget for sports development."

Successful athletes say it is ultimately up to the individual
to think ahead.

Syamsul Anwar Harahap, a top boxer in the 1970s and now a
commentator and columnist, said he trained during the day and
studied at night.

"Maybe I was able to do it because I thought about the future,
but many of my friends went into central training and that was
all they did ... when they came out they didn't have the skills
the companies wanted, so all they could do were menial jobs."