KONI to arrange training program for 2001 SEAG

JAKARTA (JP): The National Sports Council (KONI) deputy chairman, Arie Sudewo, said that the council would arrange a proposal for a training program in the 2001 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in December at the latest.

Arie told reporters on Monday that the council should speed up the arrangement because the council wanted to get financial support from the state budget, which would be endorsed in April.

"We want the government to pledge financial support for the training. We want the arrangement to be finished as soon as possible so our budget plan can be allocated in the state budget plan, which will be endorsed by the House of Representatives later in March," he said.

He also said that the budget plan would support the training program.

"This time, we will no longer be budget-oriented, but we will focus on our program before determining the amount of money we will ask from the government," the retired three-star general said.

Arie said that KONI would start screening talented athletes in the 2000 National Games (PON) in Surabaya, East Java and the Olympic Games in Sydney.

"We will consult sport experts if some athletes can be trained to maintain their peak performance in the two sport events before they compete in the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games. Hopefully they can do that," he said.

He said that the council would start long-term training to regain the overall title in the biennial event as short-term training for the 1999 SEA Games in Brunei Darussalam last August produced poor results.

"It's impossible to start a short-term training program because the sports organization did not have a capability to provide daily training for their athletes. We still need long- term training programs of at least eight months," he said.

State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Agung Laksono urged KONI to arrange a proposal for a training program for the 2001 SEA Games which would be held in Kuala Lumpur, instead of discussing the bidding for the 2006 Asian Games.

Agung said on Friday that KONI should prove that it can work with sports organizations to train the athletes in order to regain the overall title in the 2001 Games before setting their sight on dominating higher level events such as the Asian Games.

Indonesia has been campaigning for the 2006 Games. It will face tough contenders from Malaysia, India, Hong Kong, Qatar, Syria and Uzbekistan for the right to host the games.

The Olympic Council of Asia will announce the winning bid in October 2000.

Arie reiterated that KONI would proceed with the bidding, saying that the plan received approval from the government.

"We work according to what was approved by the government. If the government agreed to it, we have to do our job," he said.

President B.J. Habibie threw his weight behind KONI's proposal to host the Asiad for the second time. The first time was in 1962.

"We want to be a good host for the Asian Games, and we won't force ourselves to gain the overall title," Arie added. (ivy)