Grand reunion for national athletes planned on Feb. 11
JAKARTA (JP): For many years, Indonesian athletes have been concerned about their future after their prime years as an athlete are over. Many examples of former athletes who live a disgraceful life displaying no trace of their past glories have discouraged youngsters wishing to start a career as athletes.
Very few of them have managed to continue studies and become successful achievers.
On Feb. 11, a group consisting of former and present athletes, entrepreneurs and academicians called Yayasan Prestasi Anak Bangsa (YPAB), a human resources foundation, will stage a grand reunion for national athletes from three generations at the Senayan indoor stadium.
Chief of the organizing committee Purnomo Mochamad Yudhi told a media briefing on Thursday that the foundation wanted to collect information on former athletes as it has had difficulty searching for them through their sports organizations.
"We don't know the whereabouts of former national athletes so we have no idea what has happened to them. We also observed that the current athletes have difficulty in excelling in many regional and international sports events."
"So we decided to stage this reunion to find out where they live, what they do and how they spend their lives," said the former sprinter who managed to enter the quarterfinals of the 100m-dash in the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, California.
Purnomo, now the marketing manager at PT Berca Sportindo, said that during the reunion the organizers will also inaugurate the Indonesian Athletes Association and elect the chairman and other officials.
"Athletes will feel comfortable when they can shelter under an association. We hope they will be more focused in improving their achievement. We also want to develop support for athletes who are still active."
"We realize that athletes are the ones who receive the blame when they lose in a competition. Coaches and officials never have to shoulder the burden. The association is not a legal aid institute, but it can help the related sports institutions to achieve their best in the international sports community."
Ferry Sonneville, former badminton hero who chairs YPAB, said that the foundation would also help those who were less fortunate and those who could not afford education and training.
"The National Sports Council (KONI) concentrates on sports development but they have ignored individual development, such as how to boost the athlete's brain power with special prana (inner) energy," he said.
He cited an example of men's shuttler Hendrawan, whom he said would have won the 2000 Sydney Olympics men's singles if he knew how to control his breath with a special meditation technique to increase his power.
"This is very small matter, but such an insignificant thing can yield great results," he said.
All athletes are invited and expected to register themselves at the YPAB Secretariat on the fifth floor of Citra Graha building, Jl. Gatot Subroto Kav. 35-36, Jakarta 12950, or contact tel.: (021) 5207500/5224458, fax No.: (021)5224454 and e-mail address at waowcard@cbn.net.id.
"We will try to help athletes who live outside Jakarta and can not afford their transportation and accommodation fees," said Ferry. (ivy)