Hockey players cancel tryout

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian hockey players, groomed for the Sept. 8 to Sept. 17 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Kuala Lumpur, have had to cancel their plan to warm up in Malaysia next month, due to a lack of finances.

Training project officer Ray Khumar Singh said on Tuesday that the Indonesian Hockey Association (PHSI) had not received funds from the National Sports Council (KONI) to send the 40 players and a coach to the neighboring country.

"PHSI has spent its Rp 80 million (US$7,080) funds to pay the athletes' allowance. KONI has yet to reimburse the funds, while we desperately need them for the tryout," he was quoted as saying by Antara.

Singh said PHSI had questioned KONI about the funds, but had received a reply that there was a shortage.(yan)