In despair, PABBSI turns back to ABBF

Eva C. Komandjaja, Jakarta

The troubled Indonesian Weightlifting, Powerlifting and Bodybuilding Association (PABBSI) has decided to appeal to the Asian Bodybuilding Federation (ABBF) to have its membership in the body reinstated.

PABBSI secretary-general Alamsyah Widjaja said after a meeting with officials from the National Sports Council (KONI) here on Friday that the association would try to persuade the ABBF to reinstate PABBSI.

The move comes just a few days after the association said it would accept the ABBF's decision and would look for a new international affiliation.

Affiliation with a world body is imperative for a sport organization to ensure its membership with KONI.

With PABBSI currently having no international affiliation, KONI has threatened to take over the arrangements of the bodybuilding competition at next month's National Games (PON) in Palembang, South Sumatra.

The International Bodybuilding Federation (IBBF) has also threatened that if the bodybuilding competition at PON is managed by the PABBSI, any bodybuilders taking part in the event could receive a two-year ban from international tournaments.

PABBSI lost its international affiliation last year after it was found to have backed Musclemania, an international bodybuilding event that the two international bodies did not endorse.

Alamsyah said a letter had been sent to the ABBF requesting that PABBSI's membership to the organization be reinstated.

"We have sent a letter asking for an explanation as to why we were kicked out from the federation but we have not received any reply," he added.

However, it is unlikely the ABBF and the IBBF will repeal their decision given that they have already recognized the newly established Indonesian Bodybuilding Federation (FBI).

The two international organizations endorsed the Southeast Asian Bodybuilding Championship the FBI hosted in Bali last June.

But PABBSI appears adamant, with Alamsyah saying: "KONI has given us until November to contact the ABBF regarding the status of our membership."

KONI is taking a somewhat diplomatic stance on the issue.

"We have asked PABBSI what rules they want to use if they want to hold a bodybuilding competition at PON, but PABBSI's officials are unable to answer yet," KONI's head of organizational affairs, Hendardji, said.

Hendardji added that KONI would wait until next week for a reply from PABBSI.

KONI will also wait for one week to decide whether the Indonesian Hockey Association (PHSI) will be allowed to organize a hockey competition at PON.

PHSI's involvement in the event is in question because it has only six provincial chapters, four short of the minimum requirement.

The PHSI has chapters in West Java, East Java, North Sumatra, West Sumatra, Lampung and Papua.