Indonesia plans 'cheap package' for 2003 SEAG
Indonesia plans 'cheap package' for 2003 SEAG
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
With the 2003 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Vietnam still
less than a year away, Indonesia has unveiled a plan to lobby for
a number of sporting events in which it has better medal
prospects.
M. Hindarto, an official of the National Sports Council
(KONI), said that his group would seek the inclusion of a number
of the events in which Indonesia had, in the past, won more games
than 25 percent of the number of gold medals on offer.
"We are supposed to do with a 'cheap package' for the 2003 SEA
Games," Hindarto said, signaling the prospect of a potentially
difficult campaign, especially when it comes to raising funds for
the athletes' preparation.
The events falling into this category include wrestling,
badminton, swimming, cycling, rowing, pencak silat,
weightlifting, judo, shooting, archery, fencing, canoeing,
traditional boat racing, and bodybuilding.
"Such a policy gives consequences that we will also be
prioritizing to prepare athletes in those disciplines," Hindarto,
who is in charge of athletes' development, told reporters at
KONI's office on Wednesday.
"But the door is still open for any other sport that does not
fall into that category, if we are to join the competition. We
will talk further about the issue with the sports organizations,"
he said.
KONI has also applied a strict policy about the athlete
selection ahead of the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, South Korea.
About 170 athletes from 19 sporting disciplines are currently
training Asia's biggest sporting event.
Meanwhile, the upcoming biennial sporting showcase among the
Southeast Asian nations will run in November 2003.
The number of sporting events to be competed will not be
officially announced until 12 months before the start of the
games. However, Vietnam, as Hindarto said, has indicated that it
would feature as many as 31 events.
While athletics and aquatics are imperative to the games,
other events are at the host's privilege to decide, taking into
account other countries' aspirations.
As far as the hosting nation is concerned regarding its medal
hunt, Vietnam looks set to contest fin-swimming, a traditional
diving-like sport originating from China.
The plan, according to Hindarto, was revealed in a letter to
KONI, in which Vietnam is also almost certain to put in women's
wrestling and non-Olympic chess.
KONI will send a delegation, led by KONI vice-chairman Arie
Sudewo, to Vietnam for a council meeting on Saturday.
"We will discuss what events are likely to be competed for in
the games," Hindarto said.