ISSI, Pertina yet to get training money

ISSI, Pertina yet to get training money

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Cycling Association (ISSI) and
the Indonesian Amateur Boxing Association (Pertina) have yet to
receive money from the SEA Games training budget, more than a
month after it was promised.

The two organizations have used their own resources to manage
their training programs thus far.

"It does not affect us for the moment but we hope the funds
will come soon," Didit Sudijoto, secretary-general of Pertina
said Tuesday.

Didit, accompanied by Sofyan Russian, a senior ISSI official,
said there was no problem regarding the funds as he believed the
National Sports Council (KONI) will compensate all the money
spent by ISSI.

He believes the funds for ISSI's training scheme will come, at
the latest, by next week.

"We do not know whether KONI has the funds for ISSI but a
reliable source said that KONI has not received the cash from the
consortium," Didit said.

Both ISSI and Pertina have to bear the cost of coaches'
salaries and athletes' pocket money.

A coach receives a monthly salary of Rp 600,000 (about US$290)
while pocket money for the athletes is about Rp 300,000 ($145),
including a meal allowance and other expenses of Rp 40,000 ($18)
a day for each athlete, Antara reported yesterday.

"A local coach gets Rp 600,000 a month while a foreign coach
gets $1,500 a month. Boxers get Rp 20,000 a day for meals," Didit
said.

Sofyan said that ISSI has to spend Rp 40,000 a day on the
cyclists.

Other expenses which have to be met by ISSI and are not
guaranteed by KONI include the money to buy cycles. "The training
budget does not include the purchase of the cycles and other
equipment. This has become an obstacle for us to improve the
cyclists' performances as many of our cycles are out of date,"
Sofyan said.

He added that for the Asian cycling tournament held recently
in Taipei, the cyclists had to buy their own cycles. These cost
between Rp 4 million and Rp 6 million each.

Meanwhile, ISSI announced that on Dec. 8, the organization
will send seven cyclists to take part in the 46-kilometer Pikiran
Rakyat mountain race from Bandung to the Tangkuban Prahu volcano
in West Java.

"The seven cyclists are Egi Eirin Ismail, Dedi Resdian, M.
Handy, M. Basri, Dadang Haris Purnomo, Egi Hariman and Tonton
Susanto," Didi Sudijanto, the head of ISSI's tournament
committee, said.

Didi said there was no target set for the cyclists in the
mountain race since the tournament is only a test.

"We only want our cyclists to show their capabilities," Didi
said. (lnt)