KONI disburses IOC scholarships
KONI disburses IOC scholarships
JAKARTA (JP): The National Sports Council (KONI) presented on
Tuesday International Olympic Committee (IOC)-sponsored
scholarships to three badminton players.
Men's doubles specialist Candra Wijaya, his female counterpart
Deyana Lomban and rising men's singles star Taufik Hidayat are
three of four Indonesian sportsmen and women who have won the
Olympic Solidarity scholarships. The other athlete, female lifter
Sri Indriyani, will receive her share on Wednesday.
M. Moeslim, a KONI official in charge of scholarships, said
the shuttlers deserve US$220 in monthly allowances for a year
while Indriyani will only get $200.
Moeslim said that in the first phase of the scholarship
program each athlete would receive reimbursement of their
allowances from September to November 1998.
"We will only give out the rest of the money after the
athletes' respective coaches submit their training evaluations
and their respective sport federations provide estimates of their
monthly budget allocated to athlete development," Moeslim said.
The allowance is part of an IOC monthly scholarship worth
$1,200, which will also be used for sports facilities, coaches'
salaries, medication, expert advice in nutrition and psychology,
medical insurance, board and lodging and administration for the
council.
Moeslim said the amount of an allowance was determined by each
sports federation.
"That's why Indriyani is receiving a different amount from the
badminton players," he said, adding that the federation could
adjust the sum if necessary.
Both Candra and Taufik said the scholarships would encourage
them to fare better in international tournaments and aim to win
gold medals at the 2000 Olympic Games.
"I have a responsibility to pay off what the IOC has given to
me by at least qualifying for the 2000 Olympics," said Candra,
who is partnering Tony Gunawan.
Candra won the scholarship, thanks in part to his victory at
the 1997 World Championships with old partner Sigit Budiarto.
Sigit refused the scholarship after failing a dope test in the
Singapore Open in August last year.
Taufik, who joined the Indonesian team which won the Asian
Games gold medal last December, said his first target was also to
qualify for the Olympics.
"I will fight it out and do my best, in particular to win a
ticket to Sydney," the 17-year-old said. His scholarship is valid
until the 2004 Olympics. (yan)