Hendro favored to stay head of judo association

Hendro favored to stay head of judo association

JAKARTA (JP): A.M. Hendro Priyono, incumbent chairman of the
Indonesian Judo Association (PJSI), is a strong candidate to
remain head of the association at its congress this weekend, an
official said on Wednesday.

Subardi Suar, head of the association's student training
center, said Hendro had expressed his willingness to lead the
association for a second four-year term if he was the unanimous
choice of PJSI's members.

Hendro is also transmigration and resettlement minister.

The chairman will be elected in a one-day national congress
beginning on Saturday, he said. Twenty of 25 regional offices of
the 43-year-old association will participate at the Indonesian
Judo Center at Ciloto, West Java.

"If all the congress participants ask him to lead the
association again, he will accept," Subardi said.

He added that local judokas participated in various national
and international events during Hendro's tenure.

Hendro has pledged to give more autonomy to the association's
regional offices if reelected as chairman, Subardi said.

"Hendro will also speed up the training for young judokas who
will compete in several tournaments. Local judokas who win
national competitions will only have to undergo month-long
training at Ciloto."

A longer period of training is usually required for the
athletes scheduled for entry in international events.

The association will finance eligible judokas' study in
Cianjur, West Java, if they were required to train at Ciloto.

"We want to improve training centers at the association's
regional offices. In the future, the association will only give
guidance," said Subardi.

Commenting on preparations for the Golden Garuda national
sports development project, which has a main goal of finishing
sixth in the overall medal tally at the 2006 Asiad, Subardi said
the association would intensify the physical training of young
judokas.

"The association will seek foreign coaches to train our
coaches about sports management."

Talented young judokas will be selected for training in
Europe.

"We have chosen France and Germany for training the judokas.
Previously, we sent them to Japan or Korea. We also want our
judokas to learn about science and technology in Europe," he
said.(ivy)