KONI appoints SEA Games project manager
JAKARTA (JP): Chairman of the National Sports Council (KONI) Wismoyo Arismunandar has appointed his official in charge of organizational affairs Putera Astaman as the 2001 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games project manager, KONI deputy chairman Arie Sudewo confirmed on Friday.
Putera will be assisted by KONI's deputy official in charge of athletes development Sri Sudono Sumarto.
Wismoyo also picked up a figure outside his office, Kusnan Ismukanto as the SEA Games training director. Another deputy official in charge of athletes development IGK Manila and KONI's chief of training supervision center Imron Z. Syariffudian are appointed as Kusnan's deputies.
Arie said that Kusnan's appointment had been earlier discussed with the 30 sports organizations which will take part in the biennial event.
"Pak Kusnan meet some criteria that we set for the training director. He has quite a broad outlook and good leadership based on his past experiences," he said.
Kusnan is no stranger to the Indonesian sports community. He was in the sports agency at the Jakarta authority from 1983 to 1990. In 1987, he was appointed the secretary for the Indonesian contingent in the SEA Games which was held here.
He was also elected the chairman of the Jakarta sports council in two working term from 1990 to 1998 when Governor Sutiyoso took over his post.
He is now the Secretary General of the Indonesian Golf Association (PGI) until next year and the deputy chairman of the Indonesian Archery Association (Perpani) until 2002.
Kusnan vows to work hard to make the training program successful despite the financial shortage that hit the contingent.
"As a training director, I'm not taking part in collecting the money. I'm only in charge for the technical affairs," he told The Jakarta Post in a phone interview.
He said he was pleased with the his appointment and dubbed for a heavy responsibility that awaited him ahead.
"It's a honor for me to be appointed as the SEA Games training director. It's a shared responsibility with other KONI's official. The challenge is whether I can bring the teams to make their best achievement in Kuala Lumpur.
"I don't want to talk much on our target because I have not worked on it yet. I will work hard and I have received support from other KONI's officials. I believe that Indonesian team does not want to fail in the Games," he said.
He also assured that he would not interfere in the selection for the golf and archery teams despite having a position in both organization.
"There is a transparent guideline in the athletes selection. Moreover, the PGI has strict rule and its officials are quite astute. But I know that we lack of young and good archers nowadays," he said. (ivy)