Hockey body sets out plans for SEA Games preparations

Hockey body sets out plans for SEA Games preparations

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian Hockey Association (PHSI) executive
chairman Nang Primadi Tarmadi said on Wednesday that hockey
players would be sent to Brunei Darussalam to compete in the 20th
Southeast Asia (SEA) Games in August.

Tarmadi said that 18 men and 18 women would shortly be joining
squad training programs in Jakarta.

He denied earlier speculation that the PHSI would be incapable
of preparing teams for the games because of internal conflict
which is said to be wracking the organization.

"We have made experienced SEA Games players who are still
young enough to compete our top priority in training," he said.

Tarmadi said that Indonesia would try to build on the success
of the men's team in the 1997 SEA Games, where Indonesia won the
bronze medal.

"We want our men's and women's team to at least finish in the
top three, but we hope for a silver medal in the men's event and
we hope the women will match that," said Tarmidi, who lectures at
Bandung Institute of Technology's School of Art and Design.

Indonesia's men finished third behind Malaysia and Singapore
in 1997, with the women failing to finish in the medals.

The National Sports Council (KONI) is waiting for the PHSI to
submit the names of players included in the two squads bound for
Brunei.

The PHSI originally tried to include 39 men and 33 women in
the training programs, but KONI intervened to cut the numbers,
refusing to provide funds for players who were unlikely to make
the final teams.

PHSI officials told KONI that it is taking steps to settle the
internal conflict which has so far hindered preparations for the
games.

Tarmidi said that his key players were currently undertaking
physical training in Lampung, Sumatra.

"They will arrive here in the third week of June to join the
centralized training program," he said. (ivy)