Give praise where it's due

Give praise where it's due

From Kompas

In the weeks leading up to the Fed Cup tennis meet between
Indonesia and Italy, many good words were voiced in official
statements to the press. This was a fresh change from harsh
sentiments. I myself always admire the achievements of athletes.

When I was chairman of the national tennis team board, I
received many words of appreciation which should rightfully have
been addressed to the athletes and their trainers. The board was
merely there to ensure the athletes' peace of mind.

Atet Wiyono, non-playing captain of the Fed Cup team for the
Italy tie, said in the July 11 issue of Kompas, "Wynne Prakusya
made a spectacular appearance at the Fed Cup in New Zealand".
That is very true. But the achievement of non-playing captain
Suharyadi and trainer Sri Utaminingsih was perhaps equally
spectacular in motivating Yayuk Basuki, Eny Sulistyowati and
Mimma Chernovita to make a clean sweep of the matches against
seven countries in Zone I Asia/Oceania.

I strongly support the adulation of our athletes. Modern
sports is built on the star system, the creation of stars to
inspire other athletes and attract the support of sponsors. Eric
Cantona, Ronaldo, Michael Jordan and Martina Hingis have
generated tens of millions of dollars (hundreds of billions of
rupiah) from sponsors so that other professional athletes can
also benefit and achieve.

The FA Cup, the NBA and professional tennis make progress
because they create stars, not in the games only, but mainly
outside the arena through promotion. Andre Agassi still wallows
in sponsorship money even though his ATP Tour ranking is below
that of Yayuk Basuki on the WTA. International sports lives from
people's need for heroes, not from a bureaucratic program. FIFA
and ITF provide a way for sponsors to create sports stars based
on public adulation.

Let us hope we will continue to appreciate our athletes as the
development of our sports depends on their achievements.

WIMAR WITOELAR

Jakarta