Indonesia will not appear at SEA Games hockey
Indonesia will not appear at SEA Games hockey
JAKARTA (JP): Poor preparation has dodged the national hockey team, preventing it from appearing at the 18th Southeast Asian Games in Chiang Mai next December, a top official of the National Sports Council (KONI) says.
"We have had no hockey activities the whole year. What can we expect from an unprepared team?" Moch. Hindarto, KONI's training director, said yesterday.
The national hockey governing body planned to start the centralized training session for the Games in July, three months away from the schedule set by KONI.
No national hockey championships were held in the past two years. "It's very difficult now to name athletes eligible for our national hockey team," Hindarto said.
KONI announced on Friday that it would donate training funds for 692 athletes from 26 sports. KONI did not reveal the amount of funds, but made it clear that no money was allotted for a rugby team.
Rugby remains an unpopular sport in the archipelago. It is played mainly by expatriates. Host Thailand is expected to win the two rugby gold medals offered when the sport makes its debut in Chiang Mai.
The Dec. 9-17 SEA Games will contest 28 sports, with a total of 334 gold medals up for grabs. Around 6,000 athletes and officials are expected to join the regional sporting meet held for the first time in a non-capital city.
"I wonder if the five-month training program proposed by the hockey body is enough to form a team of the same level as other Southeast Asian countries," Hindarto added.
Hockey made its last appearance in the Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur six years ago, with Malaysia sweeping the men's and women's gold medals. Singapore finished second in both divisions. Indonesia managed the men's bronze.
Hindarto, to the contrary, defended KONI's decision to send basketball teams despite their modest performance ever since Indonesia's affiliation with the Games in 1977.
"We consider sending basketball teams since we have a great deal of basketball regular programs," said Hindarto. Foreign cagers have been allowed to play in the national basketball league since last year, in an attempt to boost the performance of local talents.
The Philippine men's team and the Thai women's team will defend their titles in the basketball competition at the upcoming Games.
The populous Indonesia has won the SEA Games overall title a record eight times. Thailand spoiled Indonesia's reign in 1985 in Bangkok. (amd)