Indonesian team stranded in Sicily

JAKARTA (JP): Teams from Indonesia, Russia, Ukraine and Australia were stranded not long after they arrived at Catania, Sicily, Sunday to take part in the world student games.

Indonesian team member Suparman reported from Catania that the four teams were stranded because of the Universiade organizing committee's poor organization.

"We were stranded for 16 hours at Palmero airport after we arrived at 6 a.m. Our athletes and officials had to go without food and all of them looked pale," Antara quoted Suparman as saying.

Suparman also said no liaison officer from the organizers welcomed the four teams. "It was not until 10 p.m. that the Indonesian team was taken to the Hotel La Perla Ionica."

According to Suparman, one of the main problems the team faced was poor communications because not all the organizers could speak English.

"We had to spend some time communicating as the organizers did not know very much English," Suparman said.

The chairman of the country's students sport organization, Enoch Markum, and the organization's secretary-general, Eko Djatmiko, expressed dissatisfaction with the poor service.

But both Enoch and Eko hoped the poor service would not affect the athletes' competitive spirit.

"I only hope that our athletes are not influenced by the organizers' poor service but instead perform as optimally as possible. This Universiade will be a test case for the athletes in the upcoming SEA Games," Enoch said.

Indonesia has sent 60 athletes to the biennial gathering to compete in five events; swimming, gymnastics, men's volleyball, athletics and fencing. Most of the athletes are also taking part in the 19th SEA Games in Jakarta in October.

Among the Indonesian athletes are Jonathan Sianturi (gymnastics), Rita Mariani, Richard Sam Berra, Wisnu Wardhana and Meitri Pangestika (swimming), Paulina Ratu and Hendry Lenzun (fencing) and Imam Agus Faisal (volleyball).

The 9th Universiade is scheduled to open tomorrow at Palmero.

Ukraine also had a bad experience when its team was told to get off the bus which was taking it to the athlete's compound.

One of the Ukrainian officials was disgusted over the poor service and pounded on the bus door several times and ordered the driver to get out. Although there was no physical attack the quarrel between the Ukrainian and the official continued for two hours. (lnt)