KONI to give SEAG athletes doping tests

JAKARTA (JP): The National Sports Council (KONI) has announced it will hold pre-competition doping tests for selected members of the 20th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games contingent.

National training director Imron ZS said on Tuesday the pre- competition tests next week were aimed at reducing any possible problems at the Aug. 7 to Aug. 15 biennial event.

"We don't want to take any risks by sending athletes who might fail the doping test. We prefer to be a 'clean' contingent rather than an overall champion with athletes found guilty of using banned substances," he said.

The Jakarta doping laboratory located in Rawasari, Central Jakarta, has offered to hold the pre-competition testing at no cost to KONI.

Imron said he would recommend athletes not to consume any medications without first consulting the official team doctor.

Indonesia's men's cyclist Tonton Susanto was found guilty of using amphetamines during the 19th SEA Games here two years ago. He was banned from national and international tournaments for approximately one year.

KONI's chief of Sports Science Commission (KIOR), Carmen Jahya, said she would consult the contingent's four supervisors before selecting athletes to undergo the test.

Carmen said three women's shooters, who left for Brunei Darussalam in early July for pre-competition training and acclimatization would not be tested.

Meanwhile, Imron said President B.J. Habibie had yet to decide when he would visit the training centers around the Senayan sports complex.

KONI chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar earlier urged ministers and the President to visit the training sites to boost the athletes' fighting spirit.

"We will request information from the state secretary to find out whether the President will visit the training sites before or after he officially inaugurates the contingent," Imron said.

Habibie is scheduled to inaugurate the contingent some time between July 21 and July 23.

Imron also said KONI would ask the Indonesian Taekwondo Association (TI) to include Juana Wangsa Putri and Dominggus Boro in the Games squad.

He said Wismoyo would repeat the request after the Taekwon Doins -- Juana, Dominggus and Veronika Widyarini -- returned home from Zagreb, Croatia, on Thursday.

The three athletes competed in the world pre-Olympics qualifying round last week.

Juana qualified for the Olympics, but her two compatriots were not successful. Both Dominggus and Veronika will have a second chance in the Asian continental qualification event in Manila.

"We will ask TI to include Juana and Dominggus in the SEA Games team. TI officials had said both Taekwon Doins were prepared for the Olympics, but Pak Wismoyo insisted they could use the Games as a stepping stone to compete in bigger events like the Olympics," Imron said.

He said Indonesia could still include both athletes' names, despite a team submission deadline of July 10.

Imron said the council would add both athletes' names if the organizing committee refused to cancel its decision on karate events. The decision allows only one athlete from each participating country to compete in a division.

The controversial decision was issued in late June. In previous events, each country was allowed to field two karatekas per division.(ivy)