KONI short of funds: Official

JAKARTA (JP): National Sports Council (KONI) deputy chairman Arie Sudewo said on Wednesday that KONI had not succeeded in securing sufficient funds to finance sports development or to send athletes to sports events.

"In the national congress held last February, we pledged to raise some Rp 300 billion as an 'eternal' fund. But until now, we have no cash in hand," he said.

Arie said that each time KONI got some money, it had to pay for its athletes to attend domestic or international tournaments, including the 1999 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games earlier this month.

"If we earn a little, we have to spend it for immediate needs, like the SEA Games, and in the near future the Olympic Games, the 2000 National Games (in Surabaya, East Java) and the 2001 SEA Games (in Kuala Lumpur)," he said. (ivy)