Incumbent chief of cycling body likely to be re-elected
Incumbent chief of cycling body likely to be re-elected
JAKARTA (JP): Incumbent chairman of the Indonesian Cycling Association Harry Sapto is most likely to be reelected for the post at the association's national congress in Bali this weekend.
Harry virtually remains the sole candidate for the association's top job because the other candidate, Soebronto Laras, declined his nomination to lead the association.
The association's secretary-general, Husein Argasasmita, told The Jakarta Post yesterday, "Harry is the sole candidate now. If elected again, he will lead the association for the fourth consecutive term."
The congress is scheduled on Saturday and Sunday in Bali Cliff Resort Hotel in Pugeh, Jimbaran, Bali.
Soebronto, chairman of Indomobil Group, the country's second largest car company after Astra, was recently nominated by a club which he chairs, Ikatan Penggemar Sepeda Jakarta (Association of Jakarta Cycling Fans) to lead the association.
The association's Jakarta, South Sulawesi, Central Java, North Sumatra, Bengkulu and Bali chapters have also voiced support for his nomination, Husein said.
However, soon after news of his nomination was widespread, Soebronto met Harry, a 42-year-old businessman, and told him that he was unable to accept the nomination because he was very busy and would find it difficult to make time for the association.
Husein quoted Harry as saying that he was ready to chair the association for another term but expressed hope that there was someone better than him who could and would replace him.
In saying that he was ready for the next term, Harry urged the association's provincial chapters to put more effort into finding and training female cyclists, Husein said.
"We are short of good female cyclist. We can't always rely on Nurhayati (currently the country's number one female cyclist)," Husein said. Husein recalled how difficult it was to seek good female cyclist for the 18th Southeast Asian Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand, last year. "Finally, we found five, but only four were qualified. But none of them have the skills parallel to Nurhayati yet," Husein said.
Husein also expressed discontent that many velodromes built by the association on the demand of its provincial chapters are rarely used. Currently there are eight cities which have their own velodromes: Ujung Pandang in South Sulawesi, Surakarta in Central Java, Malang in East Java, Semarang in Central Java, Cimahi in West Java, Jakarta, Padang in West Sumatra and Medan in North Sumatra, Husein said.
Husein said that another problem is that cycling tournaments organized by provincial chapters are rarely attended by cyclists from other provinces. "They blame lack of money for their poor participation. But if they are told that the tournament serves as a qualifying round for this year's National Games (Sept. 9 to Sept. 20), then all of a sudden they are able to send many of their cyclists," Husein said. (arf)