KONI takes over wushu training duties

JAKARTA (JP): The 19th SEA Games training director, Djoko Pramono, has announced that he has taken charge of wushu training because the athletes had not been following correct training programs.

Djoko said Friday that his decision to replace Putu Wijaya, the former wushu training director, was backed by the National Sports Council chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar.

"After I made surprise visits to the training sessions several times, I found out the training wasn't going smoothly. Sometimes they practiced and sometimes the athletes had to practice by themselves because the coach didn't show," Djoko said.

Sixteen gold medals for Wushu, a Chinese martial art, are offered at the Games. But the Indonesian Wushu Association has failed to create stimulating training conditions.

The association has been troubled by internal problems which began several months ago. Officials of the association are divided, one half in support of chairman Antonius Haliman and the other challenging his leadership.

The problem has turned personal among the officials influencing the training for the Games.

"The reorganization is for our red-and-white flag, not for a certain group of people who have an interest in the training," he said.

"The problem occurred because some people took advantage of the training for their own interest," he said.

Kompas reported that the Chinese coach, due to arrive in February, could only come in May.

"He still has administrative problems in China," he said.

Fritz E Simanjuntak, the training spokesman, said that although the action taken by the council was late, it was much better than ignoring the problem.

"We have to save our chances in wushu, rather than do nothing at all," he said.

Wushu, is taught in two ways; sansho or fighting in Jakarta, and tao or the art of weapons in Surabaya and Medan, North Sumatra. (yan)