KONI requires Rp 3 billion from businessmen

JAKARTA (JP): The national sports governing body (KONI) has asked businessmen to cover the Rp 3 billion (US$1.4 million) deficit in its budget for Indonesian Asian Games teams' preparations.

KONI executive chairman Soeweno said yesterday that two top officials of the national sports body, Soesilo Soedarman and Mohammad "Bob" Hasan, were assigned early this year to collect the funds from national businessmen. However, KONI representatives have said that they have yet to hear from them.

Soesilo is also the Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs, while Bob is a renowned timber tycoon.

"We are in desperate need of huge amounts of money to fund our athletes' daily training sessions as well as their overseas stays," Soeweno said.

The athletes' preparations and their daily expenses during the Oct. 2-16 Asiad will cost KONI a total of Rp 6.5 billion ($3.04 million). KONI is working under the assumption that the Indonesian contingent will be made up of 150 athletes making up 15 teams.

KONI has reserved Rp 2.5 billion ($1.16 million) granted by the organizers of controversial lottery SDSB to finance national athletes' participation in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, the Southeast Asian Games in Singapore last year and the 13th National Games last October.

The government, through the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, has also promised to donate KONI Rp 1 billion ($468,000). Soeweno said the government aid will be disbursed this week.

"The lack of funds, however, will not force us to drop sportsmen and women from a certain event," Soeweno said. "Performance is the only standard to measure whether an Indonesian athlete will take part in an event," he added.

Several sport organizations, including those of tennis, boxing and badminton, do not depend on KONI aid to run their training programs and try-outs, according to Soeweno.

There will be 34 events competed in the 12th Asian Games which will be held in a non-capital city for the first time. Indonesia is hoping for a sixth place finish despite the daunting challenge of five ex-Soviet Union republics which will make their debut in the quadrennial event.

The national training camps for the region's biggest sports meet kicked off in November last year. The athletes will be sorted out by Sept. 2, the deadline for Asian Games participants to send the lists of their athletes' names.

Soeweno refused to comment on the chance of a particular event making it onto Indonesia's squad. "Badminton is the only one we definitely want to take part in," Soeweno cited KONI chairman Soerono.

Soerono had earlier said that badminton would spur Indonesia's campaign of bagging eight golds to finish sixth in the Games.

Indonesia, fielding 138 athletes, was seated at the seventh place behind Pakistan with four golds, a silver and seven bronzes in the 1990 Games in Beijing. The host team came through as the runaway leader, winning a haul of 183 golds, 107 silvers and 51 bronzes. (amd)