Govt may only provide half of the Asiad budget

JAKARTA (JP): State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Hayono Isman said yesterday that the government might only be able to provide half of the money needed to fund the 13th Asian Games team from the 1998/1999 State Budget.

The National Sports Council and the minister office have calculated that about Rp 11.5 billion (US$2,233,000) will be required to finance Indonesia's Asiad contingent in Bangkok next December but the figure may be changed depending on the rupiah's fortunes.

"It's not a final decision from the government to provide only half of the fund but we must understand the country's economic situation," he said.

He also said: "I hope 'rich' sports organizations, including swimming and track and field can finance themselves for the Asiad."

Hayono considered The Indonesian Swimming Association, the Indonesian Gymnastics Association and the Indonesian Athletics Association as organizations which receive much private sector support. The Tirtamas Group backs swimming and Bob Hasan's companies help gymnastics and track and field.

Muhammad Hindarto, the Asiad training executive director, told reporters yesterday that the National Sports Council and its task force had begun arranging the organizational structure of the training.

"There will be 15 people involved in the training program, which will also include psychologists, dietitians and sports science and technology experts," said Hindarto, who is also the council's athletes development deputy.

The council has said 22 sports will represent the country at the Asiad in Bangkok next December.

They are track and field, badminton, boxing, canoeing, cycling, equestrian, fencing, soccer, gymnastics, judo, karate, rowing, sepak takraw, shooting, swimming, tae kwon do, tennis, volleyball, weight lifting, wrestling, wushu and yachting.

The council has announced that 155 athletes, 63 coaches and managers and 37 officials will be included in the training.

"The number has yet to be fixed," Hindarto said, declining to mention the names of the athletes.

Three provinces -- Jakarta, Central Java and East Java -- have agreed to finance and stage 10-month decentralized training programs in their provinces respectively.

"The reason for staging the decentralized training is to consider the athletes's jobs and study," Hindarto said.

However, the council has yet to discuss what sports will have their decentralized training in the provinces.

He said some sports organizations have started their long-term training. They are weight lifting, badminton, track and field, boxing and judo.

"Many will start their training in February after the Idul Fitri celebration. We have provided all sports organizations with training guidelines for the fasting month. They have to control the athletes' training during the fasting month," he said.

Hindarto said the council plans to send some athletes to Singapore soon for biomechanic tests.

"We can't do the tests here because we don't have the equipment. We're still waiting for an answer from Singapore. We have no idea how many athletes will have the test, it depends on the budget.

"The purpose of having the tests is to improve our athletes' technical skills," he said, adding that other Southeast Asian countries including Malaysia, Thailand and Brunei Darussalam have the equipment.