KONI picks 122 athletes for Asian Games training
JAKARTA (JP): The National Sports Council (KONI) named yesterday 122 athletes from 20 sports who will start centralized training Sept. 1 for the 13th Asian Games.
National team training director Mochamad Hindarto -- who announced last Thursday that 109 athletes would be called up -- explained yesterday that last-minute inclusions were made on the request of KONI chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar when council officials and training directors of sport organizations held a series of meetings in recent days.
Hindarto said men's badminton player Hendrawan and women's long-distance runner Ruwiyati were among the additions.
Hindarto termed Wismoyo's intervention "a special policy", but refused to elaborate.
"I could just recommend to him (Wismoyo) which athletes deserved the summons. But the final say was with him."
He said Hendrawan made the list following his triumph in the Singapore Open earlier this month. Hendrawan also nailed a morale-boosting win to help Indonesia retain the Thomas Cup world men's badminton team championship trophy in May.
Of Ruwiyati's selection, Hindarto said: "She holds the best women's marathon time." She won the 19th Southeast Asian Games marathon gold medal last year.
Of 76 sportsmen and 46 women selected for the training session, the soccer team boasted the most athletes with 18, followed by badminton squad with one less pick. The council included only one gymnast and two wushu martial artists.
Badminton, beach volleyball, boxing, rowing, canoeing, gymnastics, karate, shooting, tennis, weightlifting, windsurfing and wushu are the sports ticked for priority.
Soccer, equestrian events, track and field, fencing, judo, sepak takraw, swimming and tae kwon do have been rated poorer medal-winning prospects.
Hindarto said 138 male and 87 female athletes were proposed by their respective sport organizations in April for the training program.
He added that he had suggested that KONI send a streamlined comprising of 69 athletes, 21 coaches and 14 officials to the Asiad, scheduled to be held in Bangkok in December.
"But Pak Wismoyo wants more athletes up to 114, plus 33 coaches and 24 officials," Hindarto said. He added the figure excluded masseurs, doctors, psychologists and logistics personnel.
Funds
Hindarto estimated the daily expenses of Indonesian athletes and coaches for the entire Dec. 6 to Dec. 20 event would be US$266,000 and $67,000 respectively.
He said the council had received Rp 150 million ($12,500) of Rp 3 billion promised by the government to finance the training program.
"We can ask for the rest of the state funds anytime we need them."
Separately, the council's deputy chairman, Arie Sudewo, said KONI would approach governors of the 22 home provinces of athletes to request financial aid.
"We may write to them with our request and send a team to them. Hopefully, they will be willing to help us."
He said the contingent would travel on commercial airlines in a cost-cutting method. (yan)