KONI seeks input on SEA Games team lineup
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)