KONI to meet DPR over RI Asiad debacle

KONI to meet DPR over RI Asiad debacle

Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The National Sports Council (KONI) is scheduled to appear at a
hearing with the House of Representatives (DPR) on Thursday to
give an account of the recent participation of the national
sporting delegation at the Asian Games in Busan, South Korea.

"We will be talking about the Asian Games, and also the
upcoming SEA (Southeast Asian) Games," Wismoyo Arismunandar told
The Jakarta Post here on Wednesday.

But the former Army chief refused to elaborate further about
the agenda. "Let's see in the DPR," he said.

His aide I.G.K. Manila said the hearing, which would also be
attended by officials from the ministry of national education,
would be held with members of House Commission VI for human
resources and religious affairs.

KONI has been at the center of criticism after an Indonesian
team, comprising over 100 athletes, returned home from Busan with
only four gold medals.

The collection was only two third of that which Indonesia won
in Bangkok four years ago. As far as national hopes are
concerned, the gold medal count was also far short of President
Megawati's expectation of 15.

When asked if the hearing would lead to KONI's conclusion that
it failed in Busan, Manila said: "We will tell them (legislators)
we have fallen short of equaling our Bangkok totals."

Indonesia's gold medalists were wind-surfer Oka Sulaksana,
badminton shuttler Taufik Hidayat, karateka Muhammad Hasan Basri
and women's tennis team comprising Angelique Widjaja, Wynne
Adiati Prakusya, Wukirasih Sawondari and Liza Andriyani.

Upon its return to Jakarta, KONI has been quick to deflect
blame, citing a poor understanding of opponents' strengths, lack
of money and a lack of "Lady Luck" for the failure.

"With no intention of predicting what Pak Wismoyo will say, I
guess those will be among the points discussed at the hearing,"
Manila said.

Manila, who is also the director of the Indonesia Sports
Academy (Akorin), said he expected the hearing to provide
feedback and input from the legislators as to what could be done
to improve national sports.

He also said that it would be a good forum to discuss the
government's commitment to sports through its "Garuda Emas"
program.

Garuda Emas, or Golden Eagle, was started in 1992 but has not
come close to producing the kind of success that was hoped for,
with Manila criticizing the government for a "lack of goodwill
and consistency".

One of the goals of the program was for Indonesia to place in
the top six overall on the medal table by the 2006 Asian Games in
Doha, a feat seemingly out of reach in light of recent
performances.