ICF to give Podsi wildcard for Athens

Eva C. Komandjaja, Jakarta

The Indonesian Olympic team is likely to get an extra place for the Athens Games after it was offered a wildcard in the rowing event, according to an official of the Indonesian Rowing Association (Podsi).

The place being offered is in the women's 500-meter singles kayak.

The association's general secretary Budiman told The Jakarta Post that President of the International Canoeing Federation (ICF) Ulrich Feldoff had offered them a chance given that Indonesia was considered to consistently help promote the sport particularly in the Southeast Asia region.

Indonesia has been the dominant force in canoeing in the region.

"We have received the offer through an email sent directly to me from the ICF president and we have faxed an official reply signed by the National Olympic Committee saying that we would take the offer today," Budiman said here on Tuesday.

He said that the issue would be raised in the ICF's meeting on July 10.

Sarce Aronggear, who contributed three gold medals in the 2003 SEA Games in Vietnam, has been appointed to represent Indonesia in the event it was awarded the wildcard.

"Besides her gold medals in Vietnam, she managed to finish in fourth in the Olympic qualification in Osaka, Japan last May," Budiman said.

One of Sarce's golds was won in partnership with Suhartati in the women's 1,000-meter double kayak.

While being optimistic about Sarce's prospect of competing in Athens, Budiman said that their medal prospects would be slim in the opposition against strong teams from Germany, Hungary, China, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

The inclusion of Sarce brings the team's number to 38 in 13 sports. Six other athletes will play at the tennis, and participate in shooting, cycling and track and field, as they have also secured their Athens berths by wildcard.