KONI enlarges team for Asian Games
KONI enlarges team for Asian Games
JAKARTA (JP): The national sports governing body has decided
to enlarge the national squad for the 12th Asian Games in
Hiroshima this October.
KONI chairman Surono said yesterday a total of 197 sportsmen
and women from 23 events qualify for the Games, following a
series of meetings with all 26 sport organizations completed
yesterday.
"Based on reports addressed by officials of the sport
federations during the consultative meetings, we found a swollen
contingent is okay," said restless looking Surono who repeatedly
asked for brief questions to the crowding journalists. The
chairman said he was awaited in another meeting.
He refused to go into detail, saying later yesterday that he
was about to sign the decree on the national team line-up for the
Games. KONI is scheduled to officially announce the line-up
today.
The three-week consultative meetings also concluded that
Indonesia will miss soccer, gymnastic and volleyball
competitions, as well as others. The Oct. 2-16 sporting festival
will feature 34 events, with 337 gold medals up for grabs.
The 23 sports Indonesia will compete in comprise of badminton,
tennis, table tennis, soft tennis, fencing, track and field,
sepak takraw, wind surfing, archery, karate, judo, taekwondo,
wushu, boxing, shooting, equestrian, golf, swimming, bowling,
weight lifting, wrestling, cycling, and rowing.
"Performance is the only standard we use in picking the
athletes," Surono said. He denied speculations that a bigger team
would need a greater amount of funds.
Enough
"The set budget of Rp 3 billion (US$1.38 million) will be
enough to finance the daily expenses of our contingent during the
competitions," said Surono. "Don't worry, there will be no
increasing in the budget," he added.
KONI's vice chairman Soesilo Soedarman received five checks
worth Rp 1.6 billion ($738,000) from a group of businessmen two
weeks ago and promised to collect more funds.
"We have no alternatives for the fund rising program but
waiting for helping hands from businessmen," Surono said.
Surono had revealed earlier that the national contingent would
include only between 120 and 150 athletes for 16 events due to
the financial deficit suffered by KONI following a ban over the
controversial lottery SDSB last year.
Indonesia was powered by 138 athletes from 12 events in the
last Games in Beijing four years ago. The national team managed
three golds, six silvers and 21 bronzes for the seventh place.
The country has bid to finish sixth this year, despite the
strong challenge of five new entrants from former Soviet Union
republics.
The national squad, led by KONI executive chairman Soeweno, is
slated to leave for Hiroshima on Sept. 25. (amd)