KONI to give SEAG athletes doping tests

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)