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."