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)