KONI should reconsider bonus plan: Minister

KONI should reconsider bonus plan: Minister

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Hayono
Isman asked the National Sports Council (KONI) yesterday to
reconsider its plan to give Rp 25 million (US$11,300) to each
athlete winning a gold medal at the 18th Southeast Asian Games in
Chiang Mai, Thailand.

"As a token of appreciation, the sum should not be that much,"
Hayono said.

Hayono asked: If SEA Games gold medalists were to be rewarded
so generously, how much more money would have to be awarded to
gold medalists in far more important events like the Asian Games
or Olympic Games?

Hayono added that the government (his ministry) would have no
need to intervene in regulating the incentives if they were
secured from public donations.

Hayono made the point at a hearing with House Commission IX at
the House of Representatives.

KONI chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar announced on Nov. 17 the
plan to award cash incentives for gold, silver and bronze
medalists at the Games.

Togi Hutagaol, KONI's budgeting director, later added that the
incentives would be given in the form of an insurance policy
payable after five years.

A few days later, however, stressing that the idea was not
final, Wismoyo said a meeting would be held with the country's
tycoons, on whom KONI relies heavily for funds, to discuss the
incentive idea.

Promises of cash and houses have been used to boost Indonesian
athletes' performance in previous SEA Games. In 1993, the council
rewarded gold medalists Rp 1 million, silver medalists Rp 750,000
and bronze medalists Rp 500,000, after Indonesia retained the
overall title.

Wismoyo introduced a new reward system for athletes in August
when he proposed retirement plans worth Rp 1 billion ($454,000)
for each athlete winning a gold medal in the 1996 Olympic Games.

Hayono said he supported the idea of awarding bonuses to
acknowledge outstanding performance, but stressed the idea should
be regulated.

A decree should be passed to secure a source of funds and
ensure a standard amount was awarded, he said.

The award should also correspond to the degree of importance
of the sporting event, he added.

A similar concern was also voiced by noted sports observer
Mangombar Ferdinand Siregar. Reiterating what Hayono suggested,
Siregar warned one thing could play havoc with the incentive
idea.

"In order to get the bonuses, athletes may be tempted to
resort to drugs, as was the case at the 1993 National Games," he
said.

The 1993 National Games became the biggest doping scandal in
Indonesian sporting history after rich provinces promised their
winning athletes huge cash bonuses. Five athletes, including top
Javanese swimmer Catherine Surya, were stripped of their medals
for using drugs.

Commenting on provinces giving athletes allowances to attend
the SEA games, Siregar said the practice had been going on for
years.

Jakarta governor Surjadi Soedirdja handed out on Sunday
allowances totaling US$47,400, or $300 to each of the province's
158 athletes and officials. Previously, on Dec. 1, East
Kalimantan gave each of its athletes $500. East Java handed $100
to each of its SEA Games-bound athletes on the same day. (arf)