KONI seeks input on SEA Games team lineup
JAKARTA (JP): The National Sports Council (KONI) will invite coaches and sports officials to provide input on its team lineup for the 20th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Brunei Darussalam next month.
KONI's official in charge of athletes development Mochammad Hindarto said on Friday that he would listen to the opinions of coaches and officials from 20 sports on Monday before setting up a tentative lineup.
Results of the discussion will be brought to KONI's chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar on Tuesday for approval.
Hindarto said he would fly to Bandar Seri Begawan on Friday to personally submit the team lineup to Games organizers. The deadline for entries is July 10.
"The reason I am calling coaches and officials is because I need to listen to second opinions from them. I can't make the decision myself. Hopefully we can get the chairman's approval on Wednesday at the latest," he told a news conference after a meeting with officials in charge of supervising the 20 sports in which Indonesia will compete.
They are badminton, basketball, billiards and snooker, boxing, cycling, golf, hockey, karate, pencak silat, sepak takraw, shooting, soccer, squash, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, tenpin bowling, track and field and traditional boat racing.
Most sports organizations have submitted the names of their athletes. The exceptions are track and field, tennis and soccer.
Hindarto said 11 sports set a gold-medal target in the biennial event from Aug. 7 to Aug. 15, with the remaining nine sports still in doubt over their goals. He declined to identify the sports.
Hindarto complained that several sports, mainly team event sports, had yet to set up competitive trials.
"For example, the hockey team has yet to stage domestic or international tryouts. It's really difficult for us to know if athletes have teamwork during the competition. Teamwork is the most important aspect in team events apart from physical and mental conditioning, physical endurance and technical skills."
The Indonesian Hockey Association (PHSI) has yet to arrange a schedule of tryouts. Its Jakarta chapter offered to hold a tryout here, but new PHSI chairman Primadi Tabrani declined on the grounds the national team was far superior.
Hindarto threatened to expel athletes who were not living up to their potential or failed to show progress.
"Last week was the latest time for them to show if they really are prepared for the Games. I have all their records," he said.
KONI is also seeking input from journalists invited to attend a discussion on Saturday. The discussion will focus on the possibility for Indonesia to retain its overall title and win more than 70 golds.
SEA Games training executive director Imron Z.S. said some of the teams performed poorly during training, but he refused to divulge the sports.(ivy)