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)