KONI calls sports bodies to prepare for SEA Games

KONI calls sports bodies to prepare for SEA Games

JAKARTA (JP): The National Sports Council (KONI) called sports
organization officials to attend a meeting on Monday to discuss
the country's preparation for the 2001 Southeast Asian (SEA)
Games in Kuala Lumpur.

KONI vice chairman, Arie Sudewo, told reporters after the
meeting that the results would be brought to the SEA Games
Federation council meeting in Kuala Lumpur from March 9 to March
12.

"We discussed which sports would possibly be featured in the
next Games. We don't want athletes from some sports to be
unrepresented and feel forced by KONI to fight to be featured,"
said Arie, who is also the centralized training executive
director for the 2000 Olympics, 2001 SEA Games and 2002 Asian
Games.

Arie said he still had no idea of the number of sports to be
featured next year.

"Ten members of the SEA Games Federation will decide which
sports will be featured in next year's Games. However, Indonesia
needs to lobby participating countries to support sports in which
we excel, to be featured in the biennial event," he said.

"KONI will also urge sports organizations to lobby their
international and Asian federations to feature the sports."

Speaking on the Olympics preparation, Arie said athletes who
had qualified for the quadrennial event in Sydney in September
still had a chance not to compete due to their performance during
the training programs.

"If any athletes show a flat or decreasing graphic of
performance, KONI will think twice about sending them to the
Olympics. By joining the training center, we hope athletes will
improve their performances," he said.

Some sports are still in doubt on their inclusion the
Olympics. Boxing, judo, table tennis and wrestling are still
included in the Olympic qualifying round.

Arie said earlier that KONI would only focus on 10 sports --
archery, badminton, boxing, judo, swimming, diving, tae kwon do,
track and field, tennis, weightlifting, windsurfing -- and
exclude table tennis and wrestling from the list.

"But the policy is made by chairman, Wismoyo Arismunandar. If
he decides to include table tennis and wrestling, I'll do that."
(yan)