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)